November 7, 2025
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD
A major ally of the coalition government has said he is not opposed to amendments in Article 243, with sources saying that the proposed amendment would create a Chief of Defence Staff position with sweeping powers to appoint service chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force—with consultation from civilian leadership that would not be binding.
The government is preparing to introduce significant changes to Pakistan’s defense structure through the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The proposed amendment includes notable modifications to Articles 243 and 245 of the Constitution, which could impact military authority and deployment procedures, well-placed sources told Munizae Jahangir, editor-in-chief, of Voicepk.
CDS-model position
Sources told Jahangir that the government is planning to create a new position modeled on the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). This position would serve as the Supreme Commander of Pakistan’s Armed Forces and would consult with civilian leadership on the appointment of service chiefs, though such consultation would not be binding.
Under the current constitutional arrangement, Article 243 pertains to the command, direction, and administration of the armed forces. It stipulates that the Armed Forces of Pakistan shall be under the President, who appoints service chiefs in consultation with the Prime Minister.
Awami National Party chief Senator Aimal Wali Khan, speaking to Voicepk at Parliament House, said he has no objection to the amendment in Article 243. He stated that this amendment does not concern civilian matters but relates only to defense institutions.
“The army chief has nothing to do with civilians and parliament – to strengthen defense services and institutions, does that mean we are weakening civilian leadership?” he said. He clarified that the proposed measure would mean imposing defence forces on the civilian leadership. “This should not be thought of as us bringing some new law – its not a law but it’s a system. It’s not a law and neither can such a law be enacted, where anything is being imposed on civilian supremacy,” he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s Member of National Assembly Mirza Ikhtiar Baig clarified that the government is not reducing the President’s powers under Article 243, but rather the proposal under consideration is to provide constitutional protection to the rank of Field Marshal. “No civilian powers are being decreased while amending Article 243,” he said, adding that in fact the Field Marshal (Asim Munir) will be given a new title, and his position will be further protected so that he stays on.
“Regarding the roll back of the NFC Awards for provinces or decreasing the powers of the provinces, we cannot accept that as these are the reason we got the 18th amendment,” he told Voicepk.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Member of National Assembly Sanaullah Mastikhel said that while the PPP leadership may have been shown the proposed draft, no draft has been shared with PTI members so far. “Let’s see what is included in the draft and what amendments they are trying to bring. Nothing has come before us yet — once it does, we will know what they intend to do,” he told Voicepk.
Article 245: New powers for National Assembly
According to sources, the government is also considering significant changes to Article 245. Under the proposed amendment, the National Assembly could be granted authority to decide on military deployment in any province.
Currently, under Article 245, the Armed Forces of Pakistan can only be called upon to assist civil administration in any area at the direction of the federal government. The decision to deploy military forces rests solely with the federal government.
Under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), provincial governments must first requisition federal assistance before armed forces can be deployed. Under the proposed amendment, a new component would allow the National Assembly, by majority vote, to authorize military deployment to a province regardless of whether that province requests it.
This amendment appears targeted at the current tensions between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the federal Centre. The provincial government has clearly stated it does not want military operations within its borders. The proposed amendment would allow the federal government to bypass provincial objections through National Assembly authorization.
National Finance Commission Awards
Sources also indicate proposed amendments to Article 160 regarding the National Finance Commission (NFC) Awards. The federal government’s share would increase by 10 percentage points, from 42.5 percent to 52.5 percent.
However, this proposal faces strong opposition from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a major coalition ally, which opposes reducing provincial shares of NFC awards. Negotiations on this issue remain ongoing.
Education and population: Federal control?
The government is reportedly considering returning education and population matters to federal jurisdiction from provincial control. However, concerns exist that this could set a precedent for also reclaiming health administration from provinces. Sources suggest this amendment is “most likely” to pass despite these concerns.
While several obstacles remain before the constitutional amendment package can be passed by parliament, Article 243 amendments are being most keenly watched due to their implications for civil-military relations and the balance of power in appointing defence leadership.
Sources say that consultations with various political parties on the 27th Constitutional Amendment are ongoing. The final decision on the proposed changes will only become clear after the bill is presented in Parliament