Pakistan's parliament has passed a contentious constitutional amendment that grants its army chief unprecedented powers and lifetime immunity from prosecution. Field Marshal Asim Munir, widely seen as Pakistan's de facto ruler, is set to reap the benefits of this 27th constitutional amendment.
Under the new provision, Munir will be elevated to the position of Chief of Defence Forces, overseeing all three military branches and holding significant sway over national security. However, critics argue that he will also be shielded from accountability for any actions taken during his tenure.
"This is a funeral for democracy," said Aqil Shah, an adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University in the US. "Munir has entrenched himself and future chiefs in power through an unprecedented constitutionally protected role."
The amendment grants Munir lifelong immunity from prosecution, essentially making him above reproach. This move undermines the principle of civilian supremacy and could lead to a prolonged period of authoritarian rule.
Moreover, the amendment limits the independence of the supreme court by establishing a new federal constitutional court with judges selected by the executive. The decision on transferring judges will also rest solely with the president, removing any accountability processes.
"This effectively has set us on the way to a lifelong dictatorship in Pakistan," said Salahuddin Ahmed, a constitutional lawyer. "The amendment completely destroys any notion of independence in the judiciary."
Opponents argue that the legislation is designed to enshrine military rule and push Pakistan further towards authoritarianism. Critics also point out that this move follows years of increasing military control over national affairs.
The decision was facilitated by a weak ruling coalition government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which struggled to overcome opposition from the largest party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI boycotted the vote, and its leadership is currently behind bars.
Under the new provision, Munir will be elevated to the position of Chief of Defence Forces, overseeing all three military branches and holding significant sway over national security. However, critics argue that he will also be shielded from accountability for any actions taken during his tenure.
"This is a funeral for democracy," said Aqil Shah, an adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University in the US. "Munir has entrenched himself and future chiefs in power through an unprecedented constitutionally protected role."
The amendment grants Munir lifelong immunity from prosecution, essentially making him above reproach. This move undermines the principle of civilian supremacy and could lead to a prolonged period of authoritarian rule.
Moreover, the amendment limits the independence of the supreme court by establishing a new federal constitutional court with judges selected by the executive. The decision on transferring judges will also rest solely with the president, removing any accountability processes.
"This effectively has set us on the way to a lifelong dictatorship in Pakistan," said Salahuddin Ahmed, a constitutional lawyer. "The amendment completely destroys any notion of independence in the judiciary."
Opponents argue that the legislation is designed to enshrine military rule and push Pakistan further towards authoritarianism. Critics also point out that this move follows years of increasing military control over national affairs.
The decision was facilitated by a weak ruling coalition government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which struggled to overcome opposition from the largest party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI boycotted the vote, and its leadership is currently behind bars.
this amendment is like a nightmare come true for pakistan's democracy... asim munir getting lifetime immunity is like a green light to do whatever he wants and still be above the law 
. it's not just about him, but the entire country suffering under his rule 
. and now the supreme court is basically a puppet of the president, that's like erasing the very concept of an independent judiciary 
. how long till pakistan becomes another failed state like its neighbors? 
. It's like they're setting him up to be a dictator or something 
. And now he gets to run everything - national security, supreme court, the whole nine yards 
. Can you imagine if this happened in the US? Chaos would ensue 
. Pakistan needs to get back on track with its democracy ASAP 
what do u guys think we should be doing to help??
. It's like, who would be in charge then? Our school's principal has the final say on everything, but that's a whole different story... anyway, this is super concerning for Pak's democracy and human rights situation 
I'm really worried about this development in Pakistan... it seems like they're taking a huge step backwards in terms of democratic governance 
, which is a recipe for disaster 
. It's not just that he'll have more power, but also that the judiciary will be stripped of its independence 
, which would undermine the rule of law and lead to a dystopian nightmare 
.
. It's like they're slowly chipping away at the foundations of democracy, piece by piece 
.
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Asim Munir already seems like an influential figure, but now he's basically untouchable? That's not exactly what democracy is all about. 
One thing's for sure - this amendment is a huge step back for civilian supremacy and accountability in Pakistan 
Asim Munir's got some serious clout now, but does that mean he's above accountability? 
The amendment seems pretty clear-cut, and yet there are people who think it's some grand conspiracy. Can't we just agree on what's good for Pakistan? 
and that future chiefs will be shielded from accountability too... That sounds like a serious slippery slope to me. And what about the supreme court? Limiting their independence is just not cool.
. It's just not right, especially since Pakistan's trying to push back against its own government. Asim Munir being basically untouchable is like something out of a spy thriller where the bad guy always stays one step ahead 
.
It's like they're saying "we don't need checks and balances" and just letting one person have total power. I feel so sorry for the people in Pakistan, it's like their rights are being taken away from them. The fact that the supreme court is being undermined too is really worrying... what's next? 
The fact that he'll have significant sway over national security and oversight all three military branches raises questions about checks and balances in our system... 
.
! I mean, come on, a 27th constitutional amendment just to give the army chief a free pass? That's not democracy, that's dictatorship 
. I'm all about the independence of our judiciary 
, but this move is basically dismantling it 
. The fact that the president gets to decide who stays on the bench? 
. We need to speak out against this and make sure our voices are heard 
! #NotMyDictator #DemocracyMatters #JudicialIndependence
. Once you grant someone lifetime immunity from prosecution, it's hard to take back the power. And now they're basically stacking the deck with their own judges and whatnot? It's not fair to the people of Pakistan at all.
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