For decades, it has been an open secret that the Pakistan Army runs the country. But now, it could become a formal reality — thanks to the 27th Amendment.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government will table the 27th Amendment in the Senate on Friday. The draft has not yet been made public, but senior ministers have indicated that the amendment concerns the armed forces, appointments to the armed forces, and state-centre relations.

It further states that the President of Pakistan, on the advice of the prime minister, has the power to appoint the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the chiefs of the Pakistani army, navy and air force.

Sources have told CNN-News18 that the bill would concentrate these decision-making and appointment powers in Article 243 with the field marshal. While army chiefs have almost always called the shots behind the scenes, the amendment would give the army chief a constitutional mandate to do so openly.