On November 12, 2025, Pakistan’s Parliament passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment ushering in sweeping responses that significantly reshape the balance of power between military, the judiciary, and the civilian government. This is not just a legal tweak, it is a structural recalibration of institutions that could redefine how power works in Pakistan.
At its heart, the amendment creates a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), which will now handle constitutional interpretation, disputes between the federation and provinces, and fundamental rights cases. This new court weakens the Supreme Court’s traditional role. Under the amendment the FCC’s decisions will be binding, while the supreme court will primarily deal with appeals and more general legal cases. Judges of this court will be appointed via a revised judicial commission, and its chief justice will serve a fixed three year term.
On the military front, the amendment abolishes the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and elevates the Army Chief to a new role, Chief of the Defence Force. This gives the army chief constitutional command over the army, navy and air force. Moreover, the amendment allows for the promotion of the senior officers to the honorary five-star ranks, Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air force, and Admiral of the fleets and grants them lifelong privileges. Perhaps most controversially, it provides lifetime legal immunity for these senior officers: once they complete their service, they retain their rank, remain in uniform, and are shielded from criminal prosecution.
Further, the amendment gives the president additional protections like no criminal proceedings can be initiated against the President or a Governor during their term, with certain conditions.
Proponents of the amendment, including the government, call it “Historic”. They argue it brings much needed clarity to the structure of the governance, strengthens the military’s chain of command, and reconfigures the judiciary for better constitutional oversight. They also argue that equal provincial representation in the new FCC ensures a fairer federal balance.
However, critics have sounded the alarm. Many legal experts and civil society voices see the amendment as a dangerous concentration of power. With the Supreme Court’s authority significantly reduced and a court that handles constitutional interpretation now being staffed via political appointment, the independence of judiciary is at risk. Two Supreme Court judges have already resigned in protest, calling the changes a “grave assault” on the constitution. There is also a petition in the supreme court challenging many of the amendment’s provisions. The military reforms worry many as well, elevating the army chief to a unified head, combined with lifetime immunity, could institutionalize a stronger role for the military in civilian affairs. Some argue this gives the military more constitutional leverage than ever before.
In sum, 27th Amendment is arguably the most consequential constitutional reform in recent Pakistani history where it promises a more centralized power structure with a strengthened military leadership and re-engineered judiciary. Whether these changes lead to stronger governance or a serious erosion of democratic checks and balances will depend on how the new institutions operate in practice, how independent they truly remain and how vigilantly the public holds them accountable.