Pakistan braces for turmoil as opposition rallies against military-backed constitutional overhaul

Pakistan protests sweeping constitutional changes

Pakistan’s political temperature soared on Sunday as opposition parties launched nationwide protests against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government over a proposed constitutional amendment that would grant extensive powers to the military and reshape the country’s judicial and political structure.

The 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, now under consideration in the Senate, seeks to overhaul Pakistan’s balance of power by creating a new post, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), to be held by the sitting Army Chief, currently Field Marshal Asim Munir. The CDF would serve as the constitutionally recognised head of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, cementing the military’s dominance within Pakistan’s state apparatus.

Opposition leaders have fiercely condemned the proposal, calling it an attack on democratic norms and judicial independence. “After the 27th Amendment, the Field Marshal will receive lifetime privileges, and no case can ever be filed against him for his entire life,” a senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader said. “Asim Munir is so terrified of his own misdeeds that he is erecting a protective wall around himself.”

Expanding military power and curtailing judicial oversight

The amendment also proposes establishing a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), which would assume several of the Supreme Court’s core functions, including constitutional interpretation and the resolution of federal-provincial disputes. The Supreme Court would, in effect, be confined to hearing appeals in civil, criminal, and statutory cases.

Analysts warn that the move could fundamentally alter Pakistan’s constitutional fabric. Political commentator Habib Akram said the amendment would “increase bitterness and have a direct impact on the economy,” drawing parallels to General Zia-ul-Haq’s 8th Amendment, which he said “eventually backfired on its architects.”

Legal experts have also voiced concern that the Supreme Court is being “amended out of the Constitution.” One senior counsel cautioned: “Left with limited jurisdiction over ordinary civil, criminal, and statutory appeals, the Supreme Court has effectively been reduced to a Supreme District Court.”

The proposed changes also include granting lifetime immunity to the President from criminal prosecution and altering the appointment procedures for judges in the superior judiciary.

Opposition mobilises against ‘dictatorial’ overreach

The opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) — comprising PTI, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — has announced coordinated demonstrations across major cities.

MWM chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas urged citizens to resist what he described as a “paralysis of democratic institutions.” “The nation must rise against the proposed 27th Amendment,” he declared.

PkMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said protests would begin nationwide on Sunday under slogans of “Long live democracy” and “Down with dictatorship.” He added, “Our third demand will call for the release of political prisoners.”

Achakzai accused the government of “shaking the very foundations of the Constitution,” arguing that the opposition had “no choice but to protest.”

Echoing this sentiment, opposition leader Abuzar Salman Niazi wrote on social media: “In the Court of the Powerful: The Constitution of Pakistan and its Judiciary are found guilty of independence and loyalty to law. Sentenced to death under the 26th and 27th Amendments.”

Government pushes ahead amid growing tension

The Law Minister, Azam Nazir Tarar, presented the bill in the Senate on Saturday, where it has been referred to a committee for further review. The government, which holds a comfortable majority, expects to secure the necessary two-thirds vote (64 senators) and could bring the amendment to the floor as early as Monday.

If passed by the Senate, the bill will move to the National Assembly, where it will again require a two-thirds majority before being sent to the President for assent.

The Sharif administration maintains that the changes will “strengthen national security and institutional stability,” but critics warn they could mark one of the most consequential power shifts in Pakistan’s constitutional history — effectively institutionalising military supremacy over civilian governance.

With opposition protests spreading nationwide and the Senate vote imminent, Pakistan faces another turbulent week, as the country’s political divide deepens and questions mount over the future of its fragile democracy.