Pakistan’s parliament is poised to grant lifelong immunity to Field Marshal Asim Munir, in a move that would further entrench the military’s grip on power in the nuclear-armed nation.
The lower house of parliament approved a constitutional amendment bill expanding Munir’s control over the military branches. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the move would strengthen national unity, the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
Munir is widely seen as the nation’s most powerful leader, and Pakistan’s army wields the final word on critical matters from foreign policy to internal politics and the economy. The military’s influence has grown in recent years, especially after a brief conflict with India in May that led to Munir’s promotion from four-star general to the nation’s second-ever field marshal.
The constitutional amendment “could further strengthen the power of the armed forces, which already arguably enjoy more power than during any other period of non-military rule,” Michael Kugelman, a non-resident senior fellow at Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, said before the bill was passed.
Munir has since spearheaded efforts to improve Pakistan’s relations with the US, and President Donald Trump recently called him his “favorite Field Marshal.”
Pakistani leaders have repeatedly praised Trump for his role during the conflict with India in May, crediting him with brokering a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors. India has consistently denied the US helped secure the truce, while Islamabad has said it would nominate Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Pakistan’s security relations with the US have wavered from periods of close cooperation to chilly ties. The US over multiple administrations, meanwhile, has cultivated India as a regional partner and a bulwark against a more assertive China.
The move to expand Munir’s power comes as regional tensions rise following deadly explosions in the capitals of India and Pakistan within 24 hours of each other that killed at least 20 people and injured many more.
Among other changes, the legislation allows Sharif to appoint or remove the judges of the top court, a move widely seen as undermining judicial independence. The government also plans to establish a Federal Constitutional Court, which analysts say would reduce the powers of the Supreme Court.
The nation’s constitutional history has seen numerous amendments, each shifting the balance of power. The changes are part of longstanding efforts for balanced civil-military relations, said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week.
