A new designation titled “Commander of the Defence Forces” is among the key issues that will be discussed as part of new amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution, media outlets have reported.
The new title is part of an effort to ensure greater coordination and unified command among army, air force and navy.
Sources have said that the move to finalise the new title has been shaped by both the recent May clashes with India and the emerging nature of new warfare that demands integrated responses.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment remains largely under wraps. However a few pointers had been revealed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), in a tweet he posted last Monday. Among the key points he listed were amendments to Article 243.
The Article states: “The Federal Government shall have control and command of the Armed Forces” and “the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces shall vest in the President”, among other things.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made it clear during an appearance on a news channel that that consultations on 243 are underway. “Defence requirements have changed,” Asif said categorically, adding that his party, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is aiming for mutual consultations.
PPP, on the other hand, rejected most of the proposed amendments, but hinted at offering support to changes in Article 243. After a prolonged CEC meeting held in Lahore, Bilawal addressed a presser late on Thursday night, stating that his party will offer conditional support to amending Article 243.
Flanked by senior members of his party, Bilawal stated that the proposed changes included giving a new title to the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, creating a new office regarding Strategic Forces Command, and conferring the rank of Field Marshal upon the incumbent army chief following Pakistan’s declared military victory against India earlier this year.
The head of PPP, the party largely responsible for the 18th Amendment, then firmly rejected changes to National Finance Commission (NFC) formula for allocating resources to the provinces.