Pakistani parliament votes to give army chief new powers and legal immunity
Critics attack constitutional amendment that will also limit supreme court’s independence as ‘funeral for democracy’Pakistan’s parliament has passed a controversial amendment to its constitution that will expand the powers of...
By Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi and Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad · The Guardian World
Critics attack constitutional amendment that will also limit supreme court’s independence as ‘funeral for democracy’ Pakistan’s parliament has passed a controversial amendment to its constitution that will expand the powers of the army chief and grant him lifelong legal immunity while limiting the independence of the supreme court, in a move critics described as a “funeral for democracy”. Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s powerful army chief who is widely seen as a de facto ruler of the country, was the main benefactor from the 27th constitutional amendment, which was passed by the parliamentary lower house on Wednesday. Continue reading...