Washington, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan is witnessing what has been described as a military takeover without a conventional coup, with Army chief Asim Munir emerging at the centre of sweeping constitutional and institutional changes that have expanded the military’s influence across the state, according to a report published by American Thinker.
The report said a series of constitutional amendments, new judicial structures and legal changes over the past two years have strengthened the military’s position not only within Pakistan’s defence establishment but also across the judiciary, economy and political system.
A major development came with the passage of the Defence Forces of Pakistan Act, 2026, on August 20 amid an opposition walkout. According to the report, the law gives the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) comprehensive operational authority over the armed forces, including organisation, administration, readiness, joint operations and personnel matters.
Munir currently holds the CDF position while also serving as Chief of Army Staff, effectively placing the Army, Navy and Air Force under a single command office, the report said.
Munir became Army Chief in November 2022 for a three-year term, which Parliament extended to five years in November 2024. He was elevated to the five-star rank of Field Marshal on May 20, 2025.
However, the report argued that constitutional changes following his elevation were more consequential than the rank itself. Pakistan’s 27th Amendment, passed in November 2025, created the CDF position and stipulated that the Army chief would hold the post concurrently.
The report cited Chatham House as describing the CDF’s powers as “unprecedented”, pointing to the office’s seniority over the naval and air chiefs, lifetime immunity and a higher threshold for removal.
The military’s influence has also expanded into economic decision-making. The Special Investment Facilitation Council, established in 2023, includes the Army chief on its Apex Committee and a serving military officer as National Coordinator, with a role in determining investment priorities.
According to American Thinker, Munir has also directly engaged with foreign investors and Gulf leaders. At the same time, it said State Bank data showed foreign direct investment fell 34 per cent in FY2025-26 to $1.637 billion.
The report further pointed to growing restrictions on civic space. It cited Human Rights Watch as documenting increased repression in 2025, including arbitrary detentions, restrictions on the media and communication blackouts.
It also referred to a joint appeal led by Amnesty International in August 2026 that documented restrictions on journalists and lawyers and prolonged internet shutdowns in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The report said the authorities’ crackdown had also extended beyond Pakistan’s borders. Citing Freedom House, it highlighted concerns over growing transnational repression, including life sentences handed down in absentia to seven exiled journalists and dissidents.
It also cited Reporters Without Borders, which documented four such sentences as well as passport cancellations and frozen bank accounts, linking the deteriorating media environment to the expansion of Munir’s powers.
Taken together, the developments cited in the report suggest a significant consolidation of military influence over Pakistan’s political institutions, justice system, economic decision-making and the space available for dissent.
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