International Opinion

Opinion | Is Trump Using Munir Against Modi?

The U.S. appears willing to use every leverage, big or small, against India to secure a favourable trade deal and to keep the all-powerful Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in check by backing a military monarch in its western nuclear-armed neighbour, one that is willing to lock horns with India if necessary

Before the term of Pakistan’s Field Marshal and Army Chief Asim Munir comes to an end this November, the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Pakistani Senate passed the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment, which has unofficially, let’s say elevated Asim Munir to the status of a constitutional monarch of Pakistan, while the Americans, who are supposed to be the paragon of democracy, have remained tight-lipped.

But why is the USA, the world’s loudest champion of democracy, which has bombed Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Korea, and countless others in the name of ‘defending democratic values’, turning a blind eye to the constitutional toppling of Pakistan’s parliament and embracing a military monarch?

Perhaps the Americans find it easier to achieve their objectives in the South Asian region with an unpopular government running the Islamic republic and a military dictator sitting on top of it. That’s precisely why the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has not uttered a single word against his friend Asim Munir, with whom he recently had lunch at the White House.

Instead of expressing any condemnation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, just days after the constitutional coup, posted on its X account, a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who ‘emphasized the United States’ interest in a strategic partnership with Pakistan, calling the strengthening of the relationship very encouraging.’”

This undisputed power vested in Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, stems from multiple reasons. The Americans want to use Pakistan as a strategic foothold in Asia, like it used to do earlier, to keep Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India in check and for that, they would prefer a leader who dances to their tunes and Asim Munir appears to be one of them.

But What Is This 27th Constitutional Amendment?

The 27th Constitutional Amendment has created two new positions, the Chief of Defence Forces and a Federal Constitutional Court.

The Chief of Army Staff in Pakistan will now also serve as the Chief of Defence Forces and, in consultation with the Prime Minister, will appoint the head of the National Strategic Command to oversee the country’s nuclear and other strategic assets, a position that will be held by a member of the Pakistan Army. This means that the Army, Navy and the Air Force in Pakistan will now be commanded by Asim Munir.

Individuals from the armed forces will be promoted by the government to the ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet. Under the new amendment, Field Marshals will enjoy the perks and privileges of their position for life and can be removed from their post only through a two-thirds majority in National Assembly.

The five-star ranked Field Marshal of Pakistan will now hold a lifelong immunity from any future legal proceedings. Asim Munir is the second five-star Field Marshal in Pakistan’s history, after Muhammad Ayub Khan, who also served as the country’s second President. Just as the President of the United States can issue pardons before demitting office, the Pakistani Parliament has effectively granted the Chief of Defence Forces complete immunity from all legal proceedings for life.

Munir now stands above the Pakistani Constitution itself, where he can commit crime against humanity against its own citizens, without ever facing prosecution and this has raised his position nationally and geopolitically.

The new Constitutional Court, also known as the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), will have its own Chief Justice and judges appointed by the Government of Pakistan. Significantly reducing the powers of the Supreme Court, the FCC is now mandated to hear cases related to constitutional interpretation and disputes between different levels of government, whether federal and provincial, or between provincial governments themselves. The Supreme Court of Pakistan is now reduced to serving only as the court of final appeal for civil and criminal cases.

This means power now flows from Asim Munir to the Parliament, and from the Parliament to the Federal Constitutional Court, whose judges are appointed by the government. So, if Munir’s elevation as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces is ever challenged in the judiciary, the case will be heard by government-appointed judges in the FCC, where the outcome will almost certainly favor him. In effect, Munir now has both the Parliament and the Judiciary in his pocket.

America’s Mum On Munir’s Undisputed Rise

There have been reports of increasing engagement between Pakistan and Israel in recent months. One such instance involved Israel’s Tourism Director General, Michael Izhakov, meeting Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s advisor on tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, at the World Travel Market fair in London. Reports also suggest that Pakistan is considering sending its troops to the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), which is expected to fight Hamas and maintain peace in Gaza.

The Americans would need a leader with an iron fist in Pakistan if the Islamic Republic intends to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Remember, Pakistan has not yet recognised Israel, and its civil society, heavily radicalised, remains deeply hostile toward the Jewish state. Therefore, if Pakistan moves forward on any diplomatic engagement with Israel, severe dissent is likely to erupt, particularly from far-right groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik, whose past protests in Pakistan have already claimed several lives.

Secondly, the Americans under the Trump 2.0 regime have not been as kind to India as they were during Trump 1.0. This time, the U.S. appears willing to use every leverage, big or small, against India to secure a favourable trade deal and to keep the all-powerful Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in check by backing a military monarch in its western nuclear-armed neighbour, one that is willing to lock horns with India if necessary. America is now counterbalancing China with India, and India with Pakistan.

But what about the democratic values and constitutional morality the United States claims to uphold as the self-proclaimed beacon of global democracy? The truth is simple: America decides who is a dictator. If a strongman like Asim Munir serves U.S. interests, he ceases to be a dictator, he becomes a ‘partner’, someone worthy of a White House dinner.

The Afghan Mujahideen were never terrorists as long as they fought America’s battles against the Soviets. President Ronald Reagan welcomed them to the White House as heroes. But the moment they turned against the U.S., the entire Afghan community along with the Mujahideen was condemned and crushed.

Likewise, a military ruler like Asim Munir is conveniently labelled ‘not anti-democracy’, while Saddam Hussein becomes the villain. This is American hypocrisy and its manufactured love for democracy.

 

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