New Delhi: The Pakistan military just got more power in the country with yet another amendment, and Pakistanis are furious about it, with some saying that the move will only prolong the Army’s iron grip. They now want a “natural death” for Army Chief General Asim Munir to get rid of him, just like the death of democracy in Pakistan.
Pakistan govt on Monday passed a series of contentious amendments that will extend the tenure of the country’s top military officials, including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, from three to five years.
Many Pakistanis resorted to humour to express their anger over the Army becoming more powerful.
One user on X shared a picture of General Munir meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with the text: “Sir, not just 5 years, even 5,000 years are less in your service”. Another user posted a picture of Pakistani author Mohammed Hanif’s book ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes’ and captioned it: “We need mango crates in Asim Munir aeroplane”.
Another was appreciative of the military junta’s quick service and wrote, “Pakistan’s military-junta just awarded dictator Asim Munir a ten year extension in 23 seconds, faster than ordering Al-Baik fried chicken. The country is fried either way, and the dictator will deep fry too”.
‘Crippling the judiciary’
The amendments to the Pakistan Army Act of 1952 were swiftly approved by both houses of parliament despite fierce opposition, and are seen as part of a broader effort to ensure continuity within Pakistan’s military leadership. Previously, the appointment, reappointment, or extension of the heads of the armed forces was limited by a mandatory retirement age of 64. With this change, the age restriction has been lifted, and the tenure of the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force has been standardised to five years, with the possibility of further extensions, The Express Tribune reported.
“This move is aimed at prolonging their iron grip and crippling the country’s judiciary by emplacing subservient judges. The consequences will be the continuation of Gen. Munir’s damaging policies resulting in more polarisation, instability and violence, less freedom, even more brain drain, and a weak economy,” Former Ambassador of the US to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad wrote on X.
There were serious questions too. Pakistanis are not okay being ruled by a man of “questionable intelligence”.
“So, based on the final paragraph, does this mean Asim Munir will be in control until his last breaths? Don’t you young people feel a sense of anger over having your destiny and future decided by an older man with questionable intelligence? Pakistan is finished,” another user said.
For many people, the most significant aspect of the legislation is its implications for General Asim Munir, who, under the new law, will remain in command until 2027, well beyond his initially designated retirement. This marks a departure from the past practice where extensions were typically granted through political negotiations, often sparking controversy.
Lt Gen (Retd) Omar Mahmood Hayat said on X that “the way this parliament is going, it will soon pass a bill that elections are counterproductive to democracy and this parliament and govt should remain in office for 10 years”.
Political analyst Arifa Noor asked, “has any govt rep, minister or otherwise, said in a public statement that an extension is now off the table?”
Former Pakistani diplomat Maleeha Lodhi said that the Pakistan parliament has been turned into “a rubber stamp”.
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‘A necessary amendment’
Government officials, however, have defended the amendments, arguing that they were necessary to bring stability and predictability to Pakistan’s military leadership.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif emphasised that the government had carefully considered the proposal before introducing it in parliament and highlighted the support it had from the ruling coalition. He also pointed out that many constitutional positions in Pakistan have set terms of five years, and this amendment was in line with that standard.
The extension of the military’s tenure coincided with other key legislative changes that bolster the power of Pakistan’s military and judiciary.
Alongside the Pakistan Army Act of 1952 amendment, the parliament passed legislation to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court, in an apparent effort to reduce backlogs of cases. The amendment has prompted a chorus of disapproval from Opposition figures and critics who view it as a power grab by the military. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led protests in parliament, with lawmakers accusing the government of bulldozing the legislation without adequate debate.
PTI shared a message from Imran Khan on X, asking people to take to the streets. ‘The system of oppression was justified in the assembly yesterday. A world record was set by passing the law in 4 hours without any debate. How are democracy and justice buried? Yes, there is an attempt to capture the Supreme Court,” the post read.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)