Pakistan's latest constitutional amendment will entrench military dominance and executive control over the country's judiciary, weakening institutional checks and likely deepening political polarization and public distrust. On Nov. 13, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari approved the 27th constitutional amendment bill, which introduces significant military and judicial reforms to Pakistan's Constitution. This comes a day after Pakistan's National Assembly passed the amendment on Nov. 12 and the Senate approved it on Nov. 10. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in both houses to pass, which the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secured with support from its coalition partners: the Pakistan People's Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, the Balochistan Awami Party and the National Party. The opposition boycotted both the Senate and National Assembly sessions on the reforms, staging walkouts and abstaining from the vote to protest what they called the government's rushed handling of the bill, claiming...
