It’s been six months since Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Asim Munir elevated himself to the rank of field marshal. Now, he’s got another promotion, to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), and he has the civilian establishment to thank.
Suba Chandran, who teaches and researches on Pakistan at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru, says the 27th amendment which brought about Munir’s promotion, has other implications but it’s important to understand why the ruling PML(N) under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif came up with it.
“If you look at the number of the seats that PML-N has, all of them are from from Punjab, and the PTI (of Imran Khan) has given a tough fight in Punjab … So PML-N is pretty weak and getting weaker and the only base that it could look for (help) is the (army) establishment.”
Chandran said on The Gist that it was the army which helped the PML-N win the elections in February last year, defeating the PTI, and the party reasoning was if they need army backing in Punjab going forward, it might be worthwhile to give the uniforms something.
This was achieved through the medium of the 27th amendment. By elevating Asim Munir to CDF with a 5-year-term and life-long immunity from acts committed while in service, and getting it passed in parliament, thereby making it legal and overboard, the army has been won over.
But as Chandran notes, the PML-N also wanted to ensure the judiciary would not stand in the way in future.
“It is very important that the PML-N has a pliable judiciary in terms of the cases against Imran Khan and the PTI. So they have created the Federal Constitutional Court … the Supreme Court today is no more guardian of the Constitution because the Federal Constitutional Court will be the guardian.”
Tune in for more in this conversation with Suba Chandran of the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru.
Thirty eight years in journalism, widely travelled, history buff with a preference for Old Monk Rum. Current interest/focus spans China, Technology and Trade. Recent reads: Steven Colls Directorate S and Alexander Frater's Chasing the Monsoon. Netflix/Prime video junkie. Loves animal videos on Facebook. Reluctant tweeter.
