Sharif’s Exit Sparks Confusion Over Asim Munir’s Tenure and Pakistan’s Command Structure

Pakistan: The situation in Pakistan once again seems to be moving towards political and military turmoil. Security expert and former National Security Advisory Board member Tilak Devasher has claimed that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is deliberately out of the country so that he does not have to sign the file appointing Field Marshal Asim Munir as the country's first Chief of Defense Forces (CDF).

Why did Sharif go abroad at the last moment?

Devasher said that as the deadline of November 29 approached—the day Munir's three-year tenure as Army Chief ended—Sharif left for Bahrain and from there went straight to London. He said, "Very cleverly the Pakistan PM went to Bahrain and then left for London. He is deliberately staying away from this because he does not want to issue a notification to make Asim Munir the Army Chief and CDF for five years."

Crisis arising at constitutional and military level

Devasher says the government's non-issue of notification has created a "constitutional and operational vacuum" in Pakistan. He said, "If it is assumed that Munir is no longer the Army Chief, then Pakistan neither has an Army Chief nor the leadership of the Nuclear Command Authority, which was to be under the new 'Strategic Forces Command.' This is a very strange and dangerous situation."

Changes in the Constitution, yet legal disputes continue?

According to the amended Constitution of Pakistan, the tenure of the Army Chief is combined with the post of CDF, and the tenure of both is five years. But legal experts are divided on whether a new notification is necessary for this.

"There is a lot of controversy and legal debate because his tenure ended yesterday. After the amendment, the post of CDF has been created, and the tenure of the Army Chief is now five years with him. But the notification should be issued," Devasher said.

Is the issue automatically resolved by the 2024 amendment?

Some analysts argue that due to the amendment made to the Pakistan Army Act in 2024, the tenure of the army chiefs was increased to five years. According to Dawn’s report, the amendment also has a “dimming clause” under which this provision is deemed to be applicable forever.

Accordingly, Munir's tenure may automatically extend

"Some people say that under the 2004 amendment, the tenure of the Army Chief was for five years. He has completed three years, so two more years are left. So a fresh notification is not necessary. But this is highly controversial, and it remains to be seen how the court or the government views it," Devasher said.

News of tussle within the army also

Devasher also indicated that the tussle over senior positions within the army is intensifying. “There are reports that other generals are also now pushing for posts, be it the post of Army Chief or the two newly created four-star posts,” he said.

PM's absence further increased the crisis

Devasher warned that the Prime Minister's continued absence was exacerbating the institutional crisis. "This situation cannot continue for long. A nuclear-armed country cannot survive without an army chief and a nuclear command leader," he said.

With no decision on notification and silence from the government, uncertainty continues to grow at the top levels of Pakistan's military leadership.