Islamabad: Pakistan’s National Assembly has approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, granting sweeping powers to the military and formally elevating Army Chief Asim Munir to the newly created post of Chief of Defence Forces. The bill also restructures the judiciary, creating a new Federal Constitutional Court to handle constitutional and provincial matters.
The amendment passed with 234 votes in favour and only four against, amid protests from opposition lawmakers. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari attended the session. The bill, already approved by the Senate earlier, now awaits final ratification.
Asim Munir will hold constitutional authority over all three defence branches—the army, navy, and air force—and will retain his rank with lifelong legal immunity even after retirement. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the changes are meant to bring “constitutional oversight” to defence appointments while preserving military traditions.
The new Federal Constitutional Court will take over constitutional cases from the Supreme Court, which will now focus on civil and criminal matters. The court will have equal representation from all provinces and power to act on constitutional petitions. Judges who refuse transfers will be deemed retired.
Opposition parties, including PTI, strongly objected to the move. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan called it the “Baku Amendments,” accusing the government of weakening democracy. Political analysts say the reform marks a turning point in Pakistan’s power structure, further consolidating the military’s dominance over civilian institutions.
