Do Pakistan’s disputed reforms bolster military power or destabilize it?

Amid protests from opposition parties and criticism from various civil society groups and judges, the controversial amendment was approved earlier this week by both houses of Pakistan’s parliament. It brings major changes to the structure of the country’s higher judiciary.
 

However, many analysts believe the most significant aspect of the reforms is the extensive revision of Article 243, which defines the relationship between Pakistan’s civilian government and its military.

The constitutional amendment grants top military leaders lifetime immunity, restructures the military command system, and shifts the balance of power within the armed forces toward the army.
 

Analysts have warned that this controversial reform could clash with Pakistan’s existing institutional culture and destabilize the fragile civilian-military balance.

Al Jazeera requested comments from the military’s media wing regarding the amendment and the surrounding controversy, but no response was received.
 

New Command Structure
The amended Article 243 establishes a new post, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will hold this position, giving the army chief authority over both the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Navy (PN).
 

The changes introduced by the constitutional amendment grant top military leaders lifetime immunity, restructure the military command hierarchy, and tilt the balance of power among the armed forces in favor of the army.
 

The current army chief is Field Marshal Asim Munir. He assumed office in November 2022 and was promoted to five-star rank on 20 May, ten days after a four-day conflict with India ended.
 

Asim Munir is Pakistan’s second five-star officer; the first was Field Marshal Ayub Khan in the 1960s. The Air Force and Navy have not yet had any five-star officers.
 

Under the amendment, the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) will be abolished by the end of this month. The current officeholder is four-star General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who will retire on 27 November.
 

Another significant change is the creation of the post of Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC) to oversee Pakistan’s nuclear command. This position will be limited to military officers. Appointments will be made for a three-year term based on the recommendation of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), and the term can be extended by another three years.
 

The amendment has transformed the five-star rank from merely an honorary position to a constitutionally recognized post with various privileges. Under the new system, five-star officers will enjoy lifetime immunity, retaining their rank, benefits, and uniform for life.
 

“Lifetime immunity for five-star officers in criminal matters is a matter of concern from a law-and-order perspective,” said Rima Omar, a constitutional expert from Pakistan.
 

To remove a five-star officer, a two-thirds majority in parliament would be required, whereas an elected government can be removed by a simple majority.
 

Constitutional expert Rima Omar told Al Jazeera that while government spokespersons describe the rank as honorary—similar to national leaders the amendment indicates that it also grants real power.
 

A former three-star general, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the changes appear primarily aimed at “consolidating the army chief’s power.”
 

On Thursday evening, just hours after the President approved the amendment, the Pakistani government also amended laws governing the control of the three armed forces. According to the revised Army Act, the army chief’s tenure will now be recalculated from the date of appointment as CDF.
 

The amended Article 243 establishes the post of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will hold this position, giving the army chief authority over both the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Navy (PN).
 

Last year, parliament extended the tenure of the armed forces chiefs from three to five years, meaning Munir’s term would last until 2027. Under the new amendment, this will be extended further. Once the new rules take effect later this month, Munir will hold both the COAS and CDF positions until at least November 2030.

 

Military dominance and implications for conflict with India
Since gaining independence in 1947, Pakistan’s military, particularly the army, has become the most powerful institution in national life.
 

Through four coups and several decades of direct rule and even when civilian governments were in power the army has maintained significant influence. The army chief has long been widely regarded as the most powerful person in the country.
 

No prime minister has completed a full five-year term, and three of the four army chiefs have ruled for more than nine years.