- Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment curtails judicial authority, alters provincial revenue sharing, and grants lifetime criminal immunity to five-star army officials.
- As Pakistan’s political kingmaker, the army is viewed as efficient and incorruptible, operates with unquestioned impunity, and has moved deliberately, at home and abroad, to restore and reinforce that impunity.
- In Pakistan’s hybrid political order, the army has largely regained its impunity, though it remains fragile due to persistent challenges such as Pakistani Taliban attacks and the military’s failure in Afghanistan despite installing the Taliban.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment, which was recently ratified by the Pakistani parliament, aimed to limit judicial power, change how provinces share money, and accord five-star army officials lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution. Additionally, the bill establishes the position of National Strategic Command, whose head will come from the Army only after consulting with the Army Chief. In Pakistan, the act is being regarded as the end of democracy. Syed Asim Munir, the current Pakistani army chief and field marshal, has a big plan to bring the army’s impunity back to the nation, where the military will remain intact from any kind of political and judicial challenge. This act is a part of this grand project.
On May 9, 2023, Pakistan experienced an unprecedented series of mass assaults targeting military infrastructure within the country. The protests were organised by members of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party in response to his apprehension by the National Accountability Bureau on corruption charges. The army was regarded as the primary force responsible for Khan’s apprehension and consequently became the main focus of demonstrations. The military facilities targeted by the protestors include Jinnah’s House (named after Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah), which serves as the residence of the corps commander. Protests against military rule and military dictators have indeed occurred historically; however, there are no instances of such incidents. This protest in May 2023 was likened to the Bangladesh liberation movement against the Pakistani military. This assertion is an exaggeration, but it significantly damaged the reputation of the army.
The Pakistani army holds the topmost position in Pakistan’s political system, as it is a kingmaker. It is envisioned as the most efficient institution and the least affected by corruption. Because it operates with impunity, its legitimacy cannot be questioned. It executed the initiative to reinstate its impunity through actions at both domestic and international levels.
Domestically, the Pakistani Army sought to maintain a weakened and constrained democracy. Imran Khan was apprehended on charges including corruption and violations of Pakistan’s Official Secrets Act, among others. The army was also accused of exerting pressure on the PTI’s senior leadership to resign from the party. By June 2023, almost 80 prominent leaders had departed from the party. The Election Commission of Pakistan prohibited Imran Khan from participating in the general election scheduled on February 8, 2024. The Army ensured that the election results favoured a scenario where Khan’s PTI-affiliated independent candidates did not achieve a majority, and other parties remained weakened. This outcome created a fragile civilian administration and enabled the establishment to assume a pivotal role in the government’s formation.
The Pakistani military also used the insurgency attacks to boost its domestic reputation. The significant event involved the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in the tumultuous region of Balochistan, Pakistan, on 11 March 2025. The Balochistan Liberation Army executed this hijacking. True to its pattern, Pakistan externalised internal failures onto India and Afghanistan, alleging their involvement in the hijacking, an accusation without evidence. This entire operation assisted the Pakistani Army in revitalising its image.
At the international level, Pakistan’s army positions itself as a bulwark against Indian aggression for Pakistan, a protector of the Muslim world, and a builder of strong ties with key countries (China and the US). Shortly after Pakistan’s establishment, its leadership perceived India as an existential threat, asserting that only a robust Pakistani defence could address this challenge. The invented security threat from India is utilised by the leadership to transcend Pakistan’s ethnic divisions and to confer a privileged status upon the military within the political landscape of Pakistan.
The inter-state conflict between Pakistan and India in May 2025 stemmed from the Pahalgam terror assault in India by terror organisations backed by Pakistan. India struck at the cross-border terror infrastructure operating from Pakistan-Occupied Indian territory. This initiated a conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations, characterised by the utilisation of drones and missiles. The fight concluded with a ceasefire agreed upon by both parties. Though India successfully compromised Pakistan’s radar and air defence systems, the Pakistani army leveraged this fight to enhance its image by collectively proclaiming itself the victor. Pakistan claimed five Indian jets were downed, a figure amplified by President Trump. Pakistan’s domestic propaganda machinery projected this claim as validated. This incident enhanced the reputation of the Pakistani army within Pakistan. A Gallup Pakistan study revealed that 93 per cent of respondents said their perspectives had improved following the India-Pakistan conflict. Munir’s banners in Pakistan depict him as the nation’s saviour. The Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan was bestowed the honorary title of Field Marshal.
This conflict also enhanced the global standing of Pakistan’s military. This revitalised Pakistan’s position in the Muslim world, a status that Pakistan has consistently sought. On 17 September 2025, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia executed a NATO-style Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, stipulating that an assault on one nation will be seen as an assault on both nations. This agreement was established following Israel’s aerial assault on Qatar and the United States’ inability to avert this incident. The Gulf nations could no longer rely on US security assurances and sought alternative security sources. Pakistan has become a significant alternative for two primary reasons: its possession of nuclear weapons and its recent performance against India during the May battle. Indian combat specialist Pravin Sawhney asserted that no agreement would exist without the May conflict.
Similarly, the Pakistani army was successful in resuming relations with the United States, which had been severely strained during the Biden administration. In the year 2025, Pakistan’s field marshal Asim Munir undertook two visits to the United States. President Trump regarded him as his favourite field marshal from Pakistan. The United States required Pakistan for a multitude of strategic considerations, including its nebulous peace initiative for Gaza. Although the US does not provide Pakistan with substantial military or economic support, it was successful in gaining a place in Washington. Under President Trump, the US modified its strategy towards India and Pakistan, aligning them with equal standing.
In Pakistan’s distinct hybrid political structure, the army was able to regain its impunity. However, this impunity is not entirely intact because the Pakistani army still faces several difficulties, including the terror attack by the Pakistani Taliban, its failure in Afghanistan despite establishing Taliban authority, and protests from the Pakistani judiciary against the 27th CAA of Pakistan.
Mohmmad Rizwan is a PhD scholar in Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia and is currently awaiting his final defence. His doctoral research examines Pakistan’s relations with key global powers. Views expressed are the author’s own.
Daljeet Singh 
SamvadaWorld Staff 
Aayush Pal