Worries in Pakistan as govt set to give Asim Munir unprecedented powers: What is 27th Amendment?

File photo of Asim Munir

Pakistan is set to grant sweeping authority to its all-powerful Army Chief and Field Marshal, General Asim Munir, in a major restructuring of the country’s power hierarchy.

The Shehbaz Sharif government has confirmed that it plans to introduce the 27th Constitutional Amendment which will have changes related to the command of the armed forces and give constitutional status to the office of the Field Marshal.

Munir, who is already Pakistan's most powerful individual, is officially set to finish his term on November 28, 2025.

However, Pakistan deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar has said that the government will introduce the amendment on November 7, just days before the end of Munir's tenure, in an obvious bid to give unprecedented powers to the army chief.

"Of course, the government is bringing it and will bring it ... The 27th Amendment will arrive ... and is about to arrive. We will try to table it in accordance with principles, laws and the Constitution," Dar said.

He also dismissed the concerns expressed by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the government would try to change the Constitution without following the proper procedure.

"It is not the case that the amendment is tabled and there is voting on it in a haphazard, ad hoc manner; this will not happen," he said.

Earlier, CNN-News18 had reported that the Bill, which will be presented before the Senate on Friday, and is expected to be passed “within a couple of weeks".

Sources said that the bill will be a watershed moment in Pakistan's history as it will be one of the most significant constitutional change since the 18th Amendment. They added that the purpose of the proposed legislation is to institutionalise a civil–military hybrid system, giving Pakistan’s military establishment a formal share in governance.

• Establish the constitutional office of “Field Marshal of Pakistan" with a five-year tenure, similar in stature to the prime minister and President.

• Empower the Field Marshal or Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) to appoint the heads of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and the Director-General of the ISI.

• Provide constitutional protection to the Field Marshal’s office, making its holder’s tenure immune from judicial or political challenge.

• Fix the terms of service chiefs at five years and legally insulate their appointments.

Sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan’s General Headquarters (GHQ) confirmed that the military is pushing for a long-term power framework to oversee major resource extraction and infrastructure ventures, particularly those involving US and Chinese partners.

The 27th Amendment has also triggered widespread concerns among several opposition lawmakers, who are saying that it will undermine the idea of civilian supremacy in Pakistan.

"This move would completely alter the country's infrastructure... Are you handing over the country to someone else? What happened to the idea of civilian supremacy? This amendment would place civilian institutions under the establishment, shaking the nation's foundations," former Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar told Express Tribune.

PPP Senator Raza Rabbani also said that the move will damage the provincial autonomy and "undo the good work of the 18th amendment".

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the amendment as an "attack on the House" and against the spirit of the constitution.

PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman warned that coercive constitutional changes could erode public trust and deepen political divisions in the country.

The amendment is widely seen as an attempt to empower Asim Munir by making structural changes including those related to Article 243, which defines military command and control.

The timing of the bill is also suspect, since it comes just days before Munir's tenure will officially end.

Munir was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal — only the second Pakistani officer to receive the honour — following the India-Pakistan conflict in May. Since then, he has undertaken a series of high-profile international engagements, including two meetings with US President Donald Trump, underscoring his growing influence on Pakistan’s foreign and security policy.