Pakistan parliament approves more powers for army chief, curbs top court

The Parliament building in Islamabad, Pakistan, on February 7, 2024. Asad Zaidi/Bloomberg/Getty Images Karachi, Pakistan Reuters —

Pakistan’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment on Wednesday to expand the powers of the army chief and curb the remit of its Supreme Court, a move that critics said had done irreparable harm to the country’s democracy.

The lower house of parliament approved the legislation with a more than two-thirds majority, with only four lawmakers voting against.

The upper house passed the bill two days earlier after the opposition boycotted the debate — an unusually swift passage for a constitutional change. Such amendments usually require weeks or months of consideration. The amendment will become law once signed by the president, a formality.

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