Baqir Sajjad Syed
The proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, which would overhaul Article 243 and recast Pakistan’s military command hierarchy, is the most ambitious restructuring effort in decades and perhaps the most contentious as it collides with entrenched institutional cultures and the fragile equilibrium between civilian and military power.
Its implementation may prove far more difficult than its drafters imagine. The plan collides with entrenched institutional cultures, long-standing inter-service rivalries, and the delicate balance between civilian oversight and military autonomy that has, at least in theory, defined Pakistan’s power structure since 1973.
At the heart of the bill lies the deceptively simple premise of modernising defence coordination by creating a Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and abolishing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
But in practice, the reform would elevate the army chief to a constitutionally enshrined position of supremacy — combining operational command with overarching control of all services.
Article 243 overhaul marks a leap towards military centralisation and consolidation of uniformed supremacy
For over four decades, the CJCSC has served as the symbolic head of the armed services, designed to ensure coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
In practice, the role remained largely ceremonial, with the army — for over two and a half decades — reluctant to rotate it to other branches.
The proposed amendment would dissolve the post entirely on Nov 27, 2025, coinciding with the retirement of the current CJCSC, Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and make the chief of army staff concurrently the Chief of Defence Forces — placing all three services under his authority.
Former human rights minister and defence academic Dr Shireen Mazari highlights an ambiguity left unaddressed in the bill.
“With the end of the CJCSC position, would the joint chiefs of staff committee also be dissolved?” she asks.
If so, which forum would replace it for coordination among the three services though the CJCSC’s ineffectiveness is well known.
The supporters of the legislation argue that the change will streamline decision-making and enhance unified command.
Read full article in dawn.com
