Pakistan's parliament has voted to give army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir new powers and lifetime immunity from arrest and prosecution, a move that critics say paves the way towards autocracy.
The 27th constitutional amendment, which was signed into law on Thursday, will also make significant changes to the way the country's top courts operate.
Those defending the changes say they provide clarity and administrative structure to the armed forces while helping to ease a backlog in the courts.
Pakistan's military has long played a prominent role in the nuclear-armed country's politics - sometimes seizing power in coups, and at other times pulling levers behind the scenes.
Throughout its history, Pakistan has oscillated from more civilian autonomy to overt control under military leaders like General Pervez Musharraf and General Zia-ul-Haq. Analysts refer to the balance between civilian and military as hybrid rule.
Some see the amendment as a sign that the balance is shifting in the military's favour.
For me, this amendment is the latest indication, perhaps the strongest yet, that Pakistan is now experiencing not a hybrid system, but a post-hybrid system, says Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center's South Asia Institute in Washington.
We're essentially looking at a situation where the civil-military imbalance is about as imbalanced as it could possibly be.
The latest amendment means that Munir, who has been army chief since November 2022, will now also oversee Pakistan's navy and air force, along with lifetime responsibilities determined by the president with the advice of the prime minister.
Supporters of the bill have argued it clarifies Pakistan's military command structure.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the changes as part of a broader reform agenda to ensure Pakistan's defence keeps pace with modern warfare requirements.
However, others express deep concern over ceding power to the military.
There is no balance between the military and the civilians, says Munizae Jahangir, journalist and co-chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. They have tilted again that power dynamic towards the military when the military needed to be reined in.
The amendment also creates a new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) appointed by the president, further raising fears about the judiciary's independence.
In a dramatic response, two Supreme Court justices resigned shortly after the amendment was signed into law, citing the erosion of the constitution they vowed to uphold.
Khawaja Asif, the Defence Minister, defended the government's actions by stating that Parliament aimed to establish the supremacy of the Constitution.
Critics, however, argue that the changes threaten judicial independence and tilt power heavily in favor of the military establishment.
As debates and tensions continue to unfold, the implications of this amendment could reshape Pakistan's political landscape for years to come.
