The Pakistani government is considering major reforms under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment. A key proposal is the introduction of a new “Commander of Defence Forces” (CDF) position. This aims to ensure greater coordination and unified command among the military services.
This change is part of a planned amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution. Officials state the move is inspired by lessons from recent conflicts and the demands of modern warfare.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently confirmed that consultations on amending Article 243 are ongoing. He stated that defence requirements have changed, necessitating this review.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which has rejected other parts of the amendment package, has offered conditional support for changes to Article 243. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated his party authorized him to support the defense reforms.
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The proposed changes include assigning a new title to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Also, creating a new office for the Strategic Forces Command is part of the proposal.
The 27th Amendment also includes other major proposals. The government plans to establish a new Constitutional Court, initially with seven judges. The retirement age for these judges would be 68, three years higher than Supreme Court justices.
Other proposed changes involve appointing executive magistrates. Additionally, there are adjustments to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which the PPP has rejected.
The official draft has not been made public. Furthermore, the government has stated it will table the amendment in parliament only after completing consultations with all coalition partners.
