Key Points:
- Mufti Taqi Usmani declared lifetime immunity for Field Marshal Asim Munir as “haram” and against Quran and Sunnah
- The 27th Constitutional Amendment grants Munir lifetime legal immunity for decisions made during his tenure
- Asim Munir assumed office as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) on December 27
- Religious leaders argue no one in Islam is above accountability, including caliphs, generals, or rulers
- Opposition parties allege civilian government is a facade, with real power shifted to military headquarters in Rawalpindi
- Deobandi clerics pressuring JUI-F leadership not to support the “un-Islamic” move
- Experts warn united opposition from religious and political groups could jeopardize Pakistan’s internal stability
The alliance between the military and the government in Pakistan is once again embroiled in major controversy. Religious leaders have launched a strong protest against the lifetime legal immunity granted to Field Marshal Asim Munir through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Prominent Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani has declared the provision directly against the principles of the Quran and Sunnah, deeming it “haram” (forbidden). This opposition has emerged as a significant challenge to Pakistan’s military-dominated hybrid governance system.
In Islam, No One Is Above Accountability: Mufti Taqi Usmani
Senior Maulana Mufti Taqi Usmani, associated with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), has launched a direct attack on Pakistan’s current military structure. He has publicly argued that in the eyes of Islam, no caliph, general, or ruler can be above accountability.
Usmani states that granting legal immunity to any individual for their lifetime decisions violates the fundamental framework of Islamic law. His statement has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s religious and political circles, as it becomes difficult for the military to ignore opposition rooted in religious principles.
The 27th Amendment and the Controversy of Unlimited Powers
The root of the controversy lies in Asim Munir assuming office as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) on December 27. Under the new constitutional amendment, Munir has been granted lifetime legal immunity for any decisions made during his tenure.
This means that no ordinary Pakistani law will apply to him. Political experts have termed this “constitutional dictatorship.” Opposition parties allege that the civilian government is merely a facade and that the real power of the country has now completely shifted to the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Growing Threat to the Hybrid Governance Model
The dissent from an influential figure like Mufti Taqi Usmani is a warning sign for Pakistan’s hybrid governance system. Several other clerics associated with the Deobandi ideology are also now pressuring the JUI-F leadership not to be a part of this un-Islamic move by the government.
Experts believe that if religious leaders and political parties unite on this issue, Pakistan’s internal stability could be further jeopardized. This controversy is not limited to just one law; it has become a major battle for the future of democracy and accountability in Pakistan.
