Saturday, March 29, 2025
How Asim Munir Is Planning a ‘Silent Coup’ in Pakistan: A 50-Year-Old Fear Returns
A quiet but historic reshaping of power is underway in Pakistan. Army Chief General Asim Munir, who recently received the rank of Field Marshal after India’s Operation Sindoor, is now positioned to become the most powerful figure in the country, surpassing even the Prime Minister and the civilian leadership.
His growing influence was clearly visible during his recent trip to Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump accorded him more prominence than Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Though Munir remains officially behind the scenes, he is effectively functioning as the real head of the government.
Unlike previous military rulers who seized power openly through coups, Asim Munir is pursuing a subtle constitutional route. The Pakistani Parliament is preparing to vote on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which could transform the very structure of state power.
According to available details, the amendment would modify Article 243, effectively granting Asim Munir full supreme command over the:
Pakistan Army
Pakistan Navy
Pakistan Air Force
Additionally, control over Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal would directly rest with him. His Field Marshal rank would be formally written into the constitution, making it permanent and protected.
The post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, currently held by General Sahir Shamshad Mirza (whose term is ending), will be abolished.
All powers of the Joint Chiefs system will be transferred directly to the Field Marshal.
This means:
Asim Munir will not only be the Army Chief
He will act as the Supreme Commander of all military forces
These changes have revived memories of General Zia-ul-Haq’s era, when a military takeover toppled Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and ushered in years of authoritarian rule and radicalization.
However, Asim Munir’s strategy differs:
No overt coup
Civilian government remains as a façade
Real power shifts silently to the military leadership
Under the proposed amendment:
Like the President, the Field Marshal would enjoy lifetime legal immunity
No court could try, summon, or investigate him, even after retirement
He would continue to hold special privileges for life
In essence, Pakistan appears to be returning to a system where the military controls the state, but this time the takeover is happening through Parliament, not through force.
This is what observers are calling:
A “silent coup”
Power without political accountability
Control without open confrontation
For many in Pakistan, this moment feels like a cycle repeating itself.
After 50 years, the shadow of the military over civilian governance appears as strong as ever.
Whether Pakistan is heading back toward institutional militarization or toward a new hybrid stability, the coming weeks will determine the balance of power in the country.
But one thing is clear:
General Asim Munir is set to become the most powerful man in Pakistan — more powerful than any elected leader.
