Pakistan's military tightens grip on power as judiciary authority dims

Pakistan’s passage of a landmark Bill last week has effectively made its already powerful army chief untouchable for life, granting him unprecedented immunity from prosecution and placing him beyond civilian and military law.

- Ashraf Khan For The Straits Times

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir (holding a microphone) at a training facility in Mangla, Pakistan. The Parliament approved a constitutional amendment on Nov 12 that made the powerful man untouchable for life. PHOTO: REUTERS

(PHOTO: REUTERS)

The Parliament approved a constitutional amendment on Nov 12 that not only grants Field Marshal (FM) Asim Munir, 57, lifelong immunity from criminal charges but also extends his tenure by five years. This effectively allows him to remain in uniform indefinitely.

The amendment has also radically reshaped Pakistan’s judiciary, critics warn. The creation of a Federal Constitutional Court effectively strips power from the Supreme Court and allows the government to tighten its grip on constitutional rulings through handpicked judicial appointments.

For a nation that has spent about half of its 77 years of independence from British rule under direct military rule - and much of the rest under the influence of its generals - analysts say the development is likely to push Pakistan's already fragile democracy further towards entrenched militarisation.

With Pakistan at war with Islamist militants and ethnic Baloch separatists, the amendment is also likely to keep domestic politics and regional volatility locked in stasis.

It reinforces a security-first governance model, where political decision-making, resource allocation and civilian authority are subordinated to counterinsurgency priorities.

While many analysts argue that political dialogue, particularly with the Baloch insurgents, could help deescalate tensions, the militarised approach is expected to persist and may further intensify the conflict.

As a result, domestic politics remains largely paralysed. Civilian institutions have little space to influence policy, with the military invoking persistent security threats to justify its dominance and maintain firm control over the state.