19 December 2025

Pakistan’s 27th Amendment Upends Its Nuclear Command

Haleema Saadia

At its core, the amendment is a move to constitutionally enshrine the army’s supremacy under the guise of modernization. Since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party solidified its power via a 2024 election that was widely viewed as fixed, their government has leaned on the military establishment for support and, in turn, shown a great willingness to reinforce the army’s institutional dominance.

Haleema Saadia is a doctoral researcher at the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan and a former official at Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division. She specializes in nuclear strategy and arms control. 

Ali Mustafa is a visiting scholar with the South Asian Program at the Stimson Center and teaches nuclear politics and strategic issues, with more than a decade of experience in academia, policy, and consulting. 


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