Pakistan's army chief to get expanded powers under proposed reform

Pakistan’s powerful army chief will be given an expanded role and the remit of its supreme court curbed under constitutional changes passed by one of the two houses of parliament on Monday, a move opposition leaders say will undermine democracy.

Pakistan, historically coup-prone, is seeing its longest period of elected government. But in recent years, after civilians have sought to assert more authority in governance, the military has taken tighter hold of the levers of power, while not staging an outright takeover.

The bill, passed on Monday by the senate in about three hours, unusually quickly for a constitutional change, after the opposition boycotted the debate, will now go before the lower house before it can become law.

Army chief Asim Munir would take overall command of the military - including air and naval forces - with the new position of Chief of Defence Forces under the proposed constitutional amendment. After completion of his term, he would retain his rank and have legal immunity for life.