Pakistan faces new power clash over Asim Munir's term: Govt says 2027 set, Army chief seeks 2030

File photo of a man carrying a portrait of Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Islamabad on May 14, 2025. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)

Pakistan’s fragile civil-military balance is once again on the brink of collapse. According to a CNN-News18 report, tensions between the country’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the civilian government in Islamabad have sharply escalated over Field Marshal Asim Munir’s push for a new five-year extension to his tenure as Pakistan Army Chief, a move that could cement his control over the state until 2030.

The Shehbaz Sharif government has maintained that no fresh notification is required since Munir’s term already runs until 2027. However, CNN-News18 quoted top intelligence sources as saying that the dispute “is not merely about tenure but control of the transition.”

By demanding that his new term begin now and last until 2030, Field Marshal Munir is reportedly seeking to dominate Pakistan’s next political cycle, effectively ensuring military influence over at least two successive civilian governments, the sources told CNN-News18.

Civilian government cornered, PML-N divided

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), already dependent on the military’s goodwill for its survival, is said to be divided over how to respond. According to the sources cited by CNN-News18, the party views Munir’s proposed five-year extension “less as a compromise and more as a survival tactic.”

They explained that PML-N leaders fear such a move would make it impossible to restrain Munir’s influence, as “he would dominate the establishment and play political games.”

CNN-News18 reported that the Field Marshal has tried to placate the party with a political assurance of his own. He has “promised to bring the PML-N into power within five years.” But the party remains unconvinced, proposing instead what sources called “a new formula — give him two years now, with a promise of an additional five years starting 2027.”

According to CNN-News18, this strategy would allow the government to hold early elections before the army chief’s current extended term ends in 2027. If the PML-N returns to power, it could then consider granting him the full extension he desires.

Foreign powers and quiet backchannels

Reports indicate that Field Marshal Munir has reached out to foreign capitals to strengthen his hand. CNN-News18 quoted intelligence sources as saying that “Qatar is attempting to broker a deal with Shehbaz Sharif” on Munir’s behalf. The Gulf state has previously played a mediating role between Pakistani military factions and political elites.

Inside Pakistan’s power corridors, however, Munir appears to face little resistance from within the ranks. “There is not much internal opposition in the military to his term extension for another five years,” the sources told CNN-News18. Munir has already reshuffled several key military posts, positioning loyalists across GHQ and intelligence agencies.

Among these, DG ISI General Asim Malik, described as one of Munir’s most trusted aides, has reportedly received an indefinite extension. Lt General Amer Ahsan Nawaz, formerly the Rawalpindi Corps Commander, was appointed military secretary at GHQ in August and is known to be close to the Field Marshal. DG-C ISI General Faisal Naseer, who was expected to be transferred earlier this year, remains in place and may soon be elevated to a senior strategic post.

CNN-News18 also reported that DGMO Major General Kashif Abdullah, referred to as Munir’s “blue-eyed boy,” accompanied him during recent defence negotiations in China, the United States, and Riyadh. Another loyalist, Lt General Aamer Raza, was appointed in February and continues to serve in a crucial capacity.

ISI’s political manoeuvres and street mobilisation

In what appears to be a coordinated campaign to pressure the government, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has begun mobilising religious hardliners and legal proxies. CNN-News18 reported that “the ISI has mobilised the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on the streets to demonstrate government failure.”

According to intelligence officials quoted in the report, the agency has noted that the TLP’s ban exists “via an executive order, not a constitutional one, and can be scrapped at any time.” This has raised fears that Pakistan could see another wave of orchestrated street unrest to weaken civilian authority.

In a parallel move, the ISI has allegedly “orchestrated a petition through a citizen against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, alleging multiple frauds disqualifying him as a member of the National Assembly (MNA).” CNN-News18 reported that this petition has already been accepted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), signalling that the intelligence agency’s pressure campaign is extending into the legal and institutional space as well.

The shadow coup

While Pakistan continues to describe itself as a democracy, these developments suggest that real power is rapidly consolidating in the hands of Field Marshal Asim Munir. His steady integration of loyal generals into both the military and civilian bureaucracies, combined with ISI’s expanding influence over street politics and legal institutions, points to what critics have described as a “shadow coup” that is unfolding without tanks on the streets.

For a country that has never seen a full civilian government complete its term without military interference, this latest power play may mark a new phase in Pakistan’s cycle of controlled democracy. If Munir succeeds in extending his tenure until 2030, it could very well make him the most entrenched military ruler Pakistan has seen since Pervez Musharraf.