Bending Constitution to back a garrison State

New amendment sanctifies the Pakistan army’s control over that country — a coup without a formal coup

- Happymon Jacob

Pakistan’s parliament is currently debating the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, which aims to overhaul Article 243 and fundamentally reshape the controland command of the country’sarmed forces.

The debate on this issueis largely inconsequential, given the army's strong grip on the country's political landscape. Having been promoted to field marshal after the India-Pakistan standoff earlier this year and buoyed by US President's personal support, Pakistan army chief Asim Munir is swiftly consolidating his, personal influence over the armed forces, of the army over other services, and ofthe Pakistan military over the civilian leadership of a country — thereby further intensifying an already deeply lopsided civil-military relationship.

The 27th Amendment aims to introduce significant changes to Pakistan's civil-military relations and the military’s role. It proposes the establishment of a chief of defence forces (CDF), who will command all three services — the army, navy, and air force. The CDF will always be the chief of the army staff, whose tenure has been increased to five years. To make way for the CDF, the longstanding but ceremonial role of chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CICSC) will be dissolved later this month, coinciding with the retirement of the current CJCSC, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. While military titles for officers promoted to five-star ranks (such as field marshal, marshal of the air force, and admiral of the fleet) are not unusual, the immunity from removal except through impeachment isa unique feature of Pakistan.