Pakistan is facing one of its most turbulent political moments in recent years as nationwide protests erupted on Sunday against the Shehbaz Sharif government’s plan to pass the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, a move that opposition parties and legal experts say could fundamentally reshape Pakistan’s power structure and entrench military dominance in governance.
The controversial amendment — introduced in the Senate by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar — seeks sweeping constitutional changes, including the creation of a new post called the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The CDF, who will also serve as head of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, is to be occupied by Field Marshal Asim Munir, the current Army Chief. If passed, this would formally unify the command of Pakistan’s armed services under one figure and constitutionally elevate the military above other state institutions.
Opposition leaders have denounced the proposal as an unprecedented power grab by the armed forces. A senior leader from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “After the 27th Amendment, Field Marshal Asim Munir will receive lifetime privileges and complete legal immunity. No case can ever be filed against him. He is terrified of being held accountable for his actions and is building a legal fortress around himself.”
Beyond military consolidation, the bill also proposes the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) — a new body that would take over some of the Supreme Court’s key powers, including interpreting the Constitution and adjudicating disputes between the federal and provincial governments. Legal experts have warned that this would effectively neuter the Supreme Court, reducing it to an appellate body handling ordinary criminal and civil cases.
Political analyst Habib Akram compared the amendment’s impact to General Zia-ul-Haq’s 8th Amendment, which institutionalized military supremacy in the 1980s. “This amendment will take political conflicts beyond the reach of courts. It will deepen polarization and shake investor confidence,” he said, warning that the move could “eventually backfire, just as Zia’s amendment did.”
Criticism has also come from within Pakistan’s legal community. Senior lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi remarked that the Constitution and judiciary were being “sentenced to death under the 26th and 27th Amendments,” adding that the reforms would cement a “hybrid regime where military dominance is constitutionalized.”
The Senate began formal deliberations over the weekend, with the bill referred to a select committee after its first reading. The ruling coalition claims it has the necessary two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the National Assembly to ensure passage. If enacted, the amendment would represent one of the most sweeping constitutional overhauls in Pakistan’s post-1973 history, effectively altering the balance of power among the legislature, judiciary, and military.
The proposed changes have sparked a massive backlash. The opposition coalition — the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) — has organized nationwide protests across all major cities. TTAP brings together a broad range of political groups, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
MWM chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas condemned the government’s actions, saying, “Pakistan’s democratic institutions are being paralyzed in plain sight. The nation must rise against this constitutional coup.” PkMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai announced that demonstrations would begin immediately, declaring, “Our slogans are simple — long live democracy, down with dictatorship, and freedom for political prisoners.”
In legal circles, the creation of the Federal Constitutional Court is viewed as the most consequential and controversial clause of the amendment. A senior constitutional expert described it as “the end of the judiciary as we knew it,” warning that the Supreme Court is being “amended out of existence.” Another lawyer noted that the new court would handle all constitutional disputes, including those arising from elections, giving the executive and military a direct channel of influence over legal outcomes.
If passed by the Senate, the bill will move to the National Assembly, where it must also secure a two-thirds majority before being presented to the President for assent. Government sources say the administration aims to complete the legislative process within the next week.
Meanwhile, tensions in Islamabad are running high, with security forces deployed around key government buildings and the Supreme Court. Political observers warn that the coming days could bring mass demonstrations and possible clashes as the opposition mobilizes against what it calls a “constitutional coup in the making.”
If enacted, the 27th Amendment will mark a defining moment in Pakistan’s political evolution — either as a step toward greater institutional coordination or, as critics contend, the formalization of military supremacy under constitutional cover.
