Asim Munir Now Controls Pak's All 3 Defence Forces, Nukes: All About New Powers

Pakistan's military is entering one of its most powerful eras, and that too without directly seizing power, with army chief Asim Munir taking charge as the country's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) on Thursday. The post, created through the contentious 27th Amendment to the Pakistani Constitution, places Syed Asim Munir at the helm of all three services - the army, air force and navy - for a fixed five-year term.

The amendments, which were passed by the Senate on November 1, abolished the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), the senior-most tri-services role. It was created in 1976 by former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto following Pakistan's loss in the 1971 war with India. 

With the incumbent CJCSC, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, retiring today, the position's decades-long presence in Pakistan's defence framework has ended.

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Pak's Military Past

A nuclear power of 240 million people, Pakistan has ebbed and flowed between civilian and military rule since its creation in 1947. The last military leader to openly govern the country was Pervez Musharraf, who seized power through a coup in 1999 and served as president until 2008. 

Since then, civilian administrations have officially held power. However, the military's influence over Pakistan's political and economic spheres remains deeply entrenched, with political watchers calling it a "hybrid rule" shared between the two.

The 27th Amendment further tilted the balance toward the military. Now the army chief has been raised above the leaders of the other two forces and put in sole charge of the country's nuclear weapons systems. The overall control of the tri-forces has also been shifted from the president and cabinet to the CDF. 

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As Chief of Defence Forces, the clock on Munir's tenure has also been reset. Amendments have extended his tenure till at least 2030. 

He was set to retire naturally on Thursday itself, but an amendment last year increased the tenure of the service chiefs from three years to five years, pushing his regular retirement date to 27 November 2027. Now, he will serve out a fresh five-year term in his new post, till 2030. 

The changes also gave Munir legal cover equivalent to that of the country's President. The field marshal, like the President, will be granted lifelong immunity from any legal prosecution. The protection has also been extended to the air force and navy chiefs.  

If, at the end of that time, he tells the prime minister and president that he wishes to be reappointed, it is unlikely they will deny him that, given the power they have already granted him.

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The amendments also reduce the government's oversight over the military. According to Pakistani media reports, the CDF will now have the power to recommend the appointment to the position of Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), which will then be authorised by the federal government. Earlier, the civil government had the executive's prerogative to make these appointments. 

In addition to these powers, the Army will also play a key role in deciding the head of the National Strategic Command (NSC), which oversees Islamabad's nuclear arsenal. The amendments indicate that the commander will be appointed from the army by the executive on the advice of the CDF.

Rise Of Asim Munir

Munir became army chief in November 2022 after serving in senior positions, including as quartermaster general and Corps Commander Gujranwala. He was also head of the Military Intelligence and later of Pakistan's powerful spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence.

In 2019, he was removed as intelligence chief just eight months into his stint, under then-prime minister Imran Khan, for reasons that have never been made public.

Munir's fortunes changed after lawmakers ousted Khan. The ensuing Shehbaz Sharif government gave him charge of the military.

In May this year, following a four-day clash with India, Munir was promoted to field marshal.

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'Most Powerful Man'

"Field Marshal Asim Munir has become the most powerful man in Pakistan," according to defence analyst Naeem Khalid Lodhi, a retired lieutenant general.

"The politicians are responsible for making him even more powerful. For their short-term interests, they have put Pakistan's long-term interests at stake," he told news agency AFP.

A coalition of parties considered pliable to the powerful military formed a government after Pakistan's February 2024 elections, in which Imran Khan -- the nation's most popular politician -- was jailed and barred from running.

Shuja Nawaz, an author and expert on South Asia, sees the amendment vote as a survival strategy. Politicians "renewed their insurance policy," he said. "Munir's five-year term will outlast theirs, and they expect his support when elections come."

To Lodhi, "the constitution governs the affairs of the state, and only a genuinely representative government can amend it."

Nawaz said Munir now "probably has as much power" as the late military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in 1999. "Like Musharraf, he has a subservient prime minister and the authority to reshape the army's structure," he said.

Nawaz noted that Munir, in his new role as chief of defence forces, can also overhaul military command and "modernise the force". The lifetime rank was not unusual and follows British tradition, he added.

"Field marshals don't retire. They may leave a post, but they remain field marshal for life," he said.

Munir has already scored some diplomatic wins, including a private lunch with US President Trump.

But, Shah warned, "Trump is unpredictable, and India remains a bigger draw for Washington.

"Pakistan's future lies in a strong economy and stable political system -- neither of which it has right now."