Pakistan Passes 27th Amendment: Army Chief Asim Munir Elevated as Chief of Defence Forces With Expanded Powers
Islamabad: Pakistan’s National Assembly on Wednesday approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, significantly enhancing the authority of the military and formally designating Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir as the country’s new Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The legislation also introduces sweeping judicial reforms, including the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).
The bill was passed amid uproar in the lower house, with 234 lawmakers voting in favour and only four opposing. The session, presided over by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, was attended by senior political figures, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The amendment had already sailed through the Senate with 64 votes and no dissent after opposition members boycotted the session. Its passage comes at a politically tense time, with the ruling coalition consolidating its influence over key defence and judicial bodies.
Asim Munir’s Elevated Role
Under the new amendment, Field Marshal Asim Munir will serve as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces, a position granting him constitutional authority over the army, navy, and air force. The honorary five-star military ranks — including Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet — will remain lifetime titles.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar described the reform as a move to “introduce constitutional oversight of defence appointments while upholding military honour and institutional integrity.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the bill’s passage as a show of “national unity,” commending lawmakers for their support despite political divisions. During the session, he also condemned a recent terror attack in Wana, likening it to the Army Public School massacre, and praised security forces for their swift response.
Judicial Overhaul: Federal Constitutional Court
The 27th Amendment also restructures Pakistan’s judiciary by appointing a Federal Constitutional Court to oversee constitutional and provincial issues. The Supreme Court will now focus solely on civil and criminal matters. Each province will have equal representation on the FCC, which will possess the power to take suo motu cognisance of constitutional cases.
Additionally, the Judicial Commission will supervise the transfer of judges, and failure to accept reassignment will be considered voluntary retirement — a change that has drawn criticism from legal circles.
Opposition Backlash and Political Divide
While the ruling coalition — comprising PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, and several allies — endorsed the amendment, opposition leaders fiercely condemned it. PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan labelled it the “Baku Amendments,” alleging the government had “surrendered democratic authority to the military.”
PkMAP leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai staged a dramatic protest by tearing apart a copy of the bill inside Parliament, calling it a direct blow to Pakistan’s constitutional framework.
What Lies Ahead
The amendment will now return to the Senate for final ratification before becoming law. Political analysts believe the move marks a turning point in Pakistan’s civil-military balance, centralising unprecedented power in the office of the army chief while simultaneously reshaping the judiciary’s constitutional jurisdiction.