'A king above all' Pakistan military chief's legal move cements his power

Since it was penned in 1973, Pakistan's constitution has been dealt many blows.

- Hannah Ellis-Petersen Delhi Shah Meer Baloch Islamabad

Originally a statement of democracy, it was just a matter of years before a pattern of constitutional amendments began, validating successive coups and military dictatorships.

Yet for the past 15 years, the constitution has - at least on the surface - returned Pakistan to some semblance of civilian rule.

That was until last month. As parliament rushed to pass the 27th amendment, critics and analysts widely decried it as a "constitutional coup" that would enshrine military dominance over Pakistan in perpetuity.

"There is no constitution in Pakistan now. No judiciary. No social contract. The amendment is an unforgivable crime against the country" said Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the chair of the opposition alliance known as Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan.

"They have made one man into a king above all." It was widely acknowledged there was just one beneficiary to the 27th amendment. Gen Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, was already the most powerful man in the country. Now, however, he could become one of the most powerful generals in the country's history, with privileges akin to those of past military dictators.

Munir will oversee not just the army but also the navy and air force. His five-year term will restart, and has the possibility to be extended again, raising the prospect of him remaining in his role for at least another decade - an unprecedented term. He has also been granted lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution.

The amendment has also been accused of being a direct attack on Pakistan's already beleaguered judiciary. A new constitutional court, where judges are picked by the government, will replace the supreme court. Several senior judges have resigned in protest, claiming the only remaining check on executive and military power has been crushed.