Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment: Is the end of civilian rule imminent?

International Desk

The Pakistani government is set to introduce the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in parliament soon, which could bring about major changes in the country’s political-military relations. The controversial bill proposes to amend Article 243 of the Pakistani constitution, which deals with the control and command of the armed forces.

Critics say the move will give Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir more power and could plunge Pakistan’s democracy into a new crisis.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with allied parties on Thursday (November 6) to reach a consensus on the bill. It is expected to be presented in the Senate in the next few days.

According to a report in ‘The Diplomat’, the amendment proposes to bring changes not only to the army, but also to the judiciary and the distribution of federal-provincial resources. According to Article 243, currently the supreme command of the armed forces is in the hands of the president and the control and command of the forces is in the hands of the government.

The new amendment may change this control structure and create a central defense command under the leadership of Munir, which is expected to be modeled after India’s ‘Chief of Defense Staff’.

There are also proposals to change the judiciary, allowing the Supreme Judicial Council to transfer judges without their consent. There is also a proposal to create a separate constitutional court to hear constitutional cases, which could effectively increase the influence of the court in favor of the government.

Amendments to provincial revenue sharing could also give Islamabad more power, allowing it to cut provincial budgets in times of financial crisis. There are also plans to return responsibility for education and population planning to the central government.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has alleged that the amendment will destroy the original spirit of the 18th Amendment of 2010, which increased provincial autonomy.

Critics say the move is pushing Pakistan from civilian rule to military dominance. Analyst Ayesha Siddiqui writes, “The 27th Amendment is essentially a process of consolidating Munir’s power—a sign of the further erosion of Pakistan’s democracy.”

However, the government claims that the amendment is aimed at increasing administrative efficiency and reducing legal complications. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chowdhury told parliament, “There is no plan to repeal the 18th Amendment, we are just talking about a uniform curriculum.”

The government coalition currently holds 233 of the 336 seats in the National Assembly, which is more than the 224 seats required for a two-thirds majority. In the Senate, the government parties also hold 64 of the 96 seats. As a result, there are no major obstacles to the bill’s passage.

However, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is strongly opposing the amendment. The party’s chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, said, “This bill is against the spirit of the Constitution and will further endanger the independence of the judiciary.”

If all goes well, the 27th Constitutional Amendment will be introduced in Pakistan’s parliament next week. Political analysts believe that if the bill is passed, it could radically change not only Pakistan’s constitution but also its democratic structure.