Pakistan has granted lifelong immunity to Field Marshal Asim Munir, in a move that would further entrench the military’s grip on power in the nuclear-armed nation.

The upper house of parliament approved the constitutional amendment bill on Thursday expanding Munir’s control over the military branches. It also gave the prime minister authority to appoint or remove the judges of the top court and establishes a new Federal Constitutional Court, steps seen as significantly curtailing the powers of the judiciary.

Munir is widely seen as the nation’s most powerful leader, and Pakistan’s army wields the final word on critical matters from foreign policy to internal politics and the economy. The military’s influence has grown in recent years, especially after a brief conflict with India in May t

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