ISLAMABAD: Some quarters have been propagating misleading propaganda regarding the Constitution of Pakistan, mainly about the Article 243 and the 27th Constitutional Amendment. Nevertheless, experts in the constitution and defense agree that the amendment is a much-needed and timely move to conform Pakistan’s defense organization to the new global warfare realities.
Article 243 of the Constitution of Pakistan, as per constitutional sources, spells out the structure and the command of the Armed Forces, a system that was initially set up for a typical ground war. With time, the nature of war has altered significantly, and the new areas of the battle have surfaced.
Experts emphasize that in view of the changes in the war situation, Parliament and the elected government have the sole authority to decide on changes in the Constitution and other laws. They maintain that such steps are taken by the legislature in the interest of the nation to keep the country’s defense and sovereignty strong and capable of facing new challenges.
They mention that warfare has gone beyond the traditional battlefield and now includes guerrilla tactics, unconventional warfare, operations through the information channel, and cyber-attacks. In this century, power is not only dependent on the number of weapons or the strength of the military but also on the practical use of information, economy, technology, and invention.
Besides, military conflicts are not only fought on land; as a matter of fact, they are being fought simultaneously in the air, on the sea, and through the use of the internet and information channels. This, according to the experts, compels not only the harmonizing of three branches of service the Army, Navy, and Air Force but also the existence of the one command structure so as to guarantee the fast relay of decisions and the efficient coordination.
Over the last several years, Pakistan has experienced diverse challenges along its eastern and western borders. Analysts aver that in such situations, the necessity for a coordinated strategy and an integrated command system has become a prerequisite for the protection of the national interest.
Considering all these points, defense analysts are of the opinion that reforms to Article 243 through the 27th Amendment are not only warranted but also indispensable, as they would facilitate the adaptation of the Armed Forces to multidimensional threats of the hybrid warfare era.
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They affirm that the 27th constitutional amendment is a response to changing strategic requirements and not a political issue as some of the misinformation campaigns have suggested. The move is toward making Pakistan’s national defense system more potent and future-proof.
