On November 4, 2024, Pakistan's parliament approved a significant amendment to the laws governing the armed forces, extending the tenure of military chiefs from three years to five years. This change applies to the heads of the army, navy, and air force and was passed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in both the National Assembly and the Senate.

The amendment also eliminates the retirement age for the chiefs of the armed forces, allowing them to serve beyond the previous limit of 64 years.

The changes were made amid rising militant violence in Pakistan, particularly from groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), prompting calls for stability within military leadership.

This extension is viewed as a strategic move by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to reduce uncertainty surrounding military appointments and extensions, which often led to political instability and lobbying every three years. Critics argue that this could further entrench military influence in politics, especially against former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has been critical of military interventions in governance.

The swift passage of this bill occurred despite protests from opposition members, indicating a strong majority support within the ruling coalition for these amendments aimed at ensuring continuity in military leadership during turbulent times.