• Source:JND
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In a move that has stirred acute political controversy in Pakistan, the federal government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has reached out to the Pakistan Peoples Party for support on the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The proposed amendment is widely believed to secure the tenure and authority of Pakistan's powerful Chief of Army Staff and newly elevated Field Marshal, General Asim Munir.

A team of the ruling PML-N, led by the prime minister himself, called on PPP leaders including former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and party co-chair Asif Ali Zardari. The outreach was confirmed when Bilawal revealed on X that the PML-N wanted PPP to support the passage of the amendment.

Article 243 In Spotlight

At the centre of the controversy is Article 243 of Pakistan’s constitution, which governs the command and control of the armed forces. The proposed amendment seeks to weaken the article’s existing framework, granting greater legal authority to the army chief’s office. It also paves the way to formally institutionalise the rank of Field Marshal, a position that currently holds no legal recognition.

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General Asim Munir became Field Marshal earlier this year, following India’s anti-terror Operation Sindoor in May 2025. He is only the second individual in the country’s history to receive the honour; the first was Ayub Khan, who granted himself the rank after orchestrating a military coup. If the amendment fails, Munir is due to retire on November 28, adding urgency to the government’s push.

PPP Publicly Flags Concerns

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s statement outlined several additional proposals allegedly attached to the amendment, including the establishment of a constitutional court, the introduction of executive magistrates, transfer powers for judges, and removing provincial protections under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award. 

Over the past year, sweeping changes, including extending the service tenure of armed forces chiefs from three to five years and removing the age-64 retirement cap, have strengthened military influence.

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