Pakistan’s parliament grants additional powers to army chief

Under the amendment, constitutional cases will move from the Supreme Court to a new Federal Constitutional Court, whose judges will be appointed by the government. In recent years, the Supreme Court has blocked government policies and ousted prime ministers.

Opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founded by jailed former premier Imran Khan, walked out before the vote and tore up copies of the bill in protest, saying they had not been consulted.

"None of the parliamentarians cared about democracy and the judiciary being eliminated. They have voted for being a silent observer whilst the country becomes a banana republic," PTI spokesman Zulfikar Bukhari said. "Rest in peace constitution of Pakistan."