27th Amendment — The New Map of Power

A new and weighty phrase is about to enter Pakistan’s Constitution:

The 27th Amendment.

Just a few lines on paper — yet behind them flows the entire current of the nation’s power.

They say this amendment is not merely about words;

it’s the drawing of a new map of power — one where the boundaries between the military, the government, and the judiciary begin to blur.

Abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee

On 27 November 2025, an old door will close.

The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee — a post once symbolizing coordination among the three armed forces — will cease to exist.

In its place comes a new structure,

where the Army Chief rwill now be called the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) —

and the reins of power will rest in one pair of hands.

 

Creation of the National Strategic Command

The Prime Minister, on the recommendation of the Army Chief, will appoint a new commander — the Commander of the National Strategic Command.

This body will oversee the nation’s nuclear assets and the most sensitive decisions of national security.

But one question lingers:

Who will truly decide?

The Prime Minister — or the Army Chief?

Or will they exchange silent glances to make those unwritten decisions

that never appear in the Constitution?

Lifetime Rank, Uniform, and Privileges

The amendment states that

if any officer is elevated to the rank of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, or Admiral of the Fleet,

they will retain their rank, uniform, and privileges for life.

In other words, there will be no retirement — only a new chapter in history.

Power doesn’t fade away;

it merely changes its uniform.

Immunity from Removal and Legal Protection

These “national heroes” will not be easy to remove.

They can only be dismissed through the process laid out in Article 47 —

the same method used for the President’s impeachment or resignation.

Furthermore, under Article 248,

they will enjoy the same legal immunity as the President —

meaning the law’s reach may stop before it ever touches them.

Duties Beyond Command

Even after stepping down from command,

the government may assign them new roles “in the national interest.”

The uniform may come off,

but the influence will remain.

The shadow of power grows longer,

and beneath the Constitution, a new shadow is emerging.

A Question for the Nation

One wonders — will this amendment strengthen the nation,

or make power beyond question?

Is this constitutional reform, or constitutional centralization?

Is this a reorganization of the military,

or the redefinition of democracy itself?