ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s parliament gave a fresh five-year tenure to the country’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, through the 27th constitutional amendment on Thursday, elevating him to the new post of chief of defense forces (CDS).
Munir’s original three-year tenure as army chief was set to expire on Nov. 27 this year. However, the government last year passed an amendment to a law increasing the tenure of the heads of the armed forces from three years to five. This extended his term in office till Nov. 27, 2027.
The 27th constitutional amendment, which introduces sweeping changes to Pakistan’s judicial and military command structure, appoints Munir to the parallel post of CDS. This means he will be the commander of not just Pakistan’s army but also its air force and navy. The CDS will be appointed for five years and as per the fresh amendments, the field marshal and Pakistan’s president will enjoy lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution.
As President Asif Ali Zardari gave assent to the bill of amendments, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced changes to the Pakistan Army Act in parliament on Thursday. This effectively gives Munir five more years as Pakistan’s army chief and CDS. His term will now expire in November 2030.
“On issuance of notification of the first appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff concurrently the Chief of the Defense Forces under this sub-section, the existing tenure of the incumbent Chief of the Army Staff shall be deemed to have recommenced from the date of such notification,” reads a copy of the amended Army Act seen by Arab News.
This means Munir, who was appointed as Pakistan’s army chief in November 2022, will serve at the post for a total of eight years until 2030.
Under the new law, Munir can also receive a five-year extension in tenure after completing his term in November 2030. Pakistani civil governments in the past extended the tenures of serving army chiefs.
Another key feature of the new amendments is that the position of the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC) has been abolished. The post will be terminated once the current CJCSC Sahir Shamshad Mirza retires, Tarar clarified.
“This position of the Chief of Defense Forces will be for five years from the appointment date,” the law minister told legislators in parliament.
He clarified that the CDS will be appointed by the federal government on the prime minister’s advice. adding that his five-year tenure will commence from this date of appointment.
Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst, broke down the new constitutional changes for the military in three aspects.
“Firstly, the army chief will also be Chief of Defense Forces,” Ali told Arab News. “Secondly, once he is formally appointed as CDF, then his tenure as army chief for the next five years will also start again.”
Ali pointed out that since the army chief will also be the CDS, he will be the principal military adviser to the country’s political leadership on defense and security policy matters.
“Lastly, the office of CDF replaces chairman joint chiefs of staff committee for joint decision-making during war, peace and crisis,” Ali noted.
‘SWEEPING IMMUNITY’
Pakistan, historically coup-prone, is seeing its longest period of elected government. But in recent years, after civilians have sought to assert more authority in governance, the military has taken tighter hold of the levers of power, while not staging an outright takeover.
Veteran Pakistani political commentator Zahid Hussain said the fresh amendments have granted significant powers to the army chief.
“It is unprecedented to see such sweeping immunity and unaccountability granted to a government functionary,” Hussain told Arab News.
“I am not aware of any democracy where a state employee is given lifetime immunity. The office has now become entirely unaccountable, to the extent that the person occupying it could virtually get away with anything,” he added.
