The Ministry of Defence on Friday issued a formal notification naming
The Ministry of Defence on Friday issued a formal notification naming Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan’s first-ever chief of defence forces (CDF). This announcement came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari endorsed the appointment on the recommendation of Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the notification seen by Dawn, the president—acting under Article 243 of the Constitution and Section 8A of the Pakistan Army Act—approved Field Marshal Munir’s appointment as both the army chief and the CDF for a five-year term.
A separate notification confirmed that President Zardari had also accepted the prime minister’s advice regarding leadership in the air force. Under Article 243 and Section 10B of the Pakistan Air Force Act, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar was granted a two-year extension starting March 19, 2026. This means he will remain in office until March 2028, following the completion of his current five-year term next March.
Field Marshal Munir becomes the country’s first CDF under the most significant overhaul of the military command structure since the 1970s. The new system consolidates operational, administrative and strategic authority under a single office, created through amendments to Article 243 via the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
This amendment also dissolved the post of chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC), which had served as the hub for tri-service coordination since 1976. Its functions have now been absorbed by the CDF.
In a message on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated Field Marshal Munir, calling his appointment “historic” and crediting him with leading the armed forces to “a decisive victory in the battle for truth.” He praised Munir’s wartime leadership for uniting the country and delivering a “historic victory”.
The prime minister also lauded the air chief, crediting the Pakistan Air Force under his command with destroying multiple enemy aircraft and advanced missile defence systems—an indirect reference to the confrontation with India in May. Shehbaz added that all national institutions remained aligned in the defence and progress of Pakistan.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif likewise congratulated both military leaders, saying the nation was honouring those who had delivered a “historic win.”
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Pakistan’s defence posture had strengthened with the army chief’s transition into the CDF role. Responding to speculation surrounding the notification process, he criticised those spreading rumours, saying that the new unified command structure would alarm Pakistan’s adversaries.
Resetting the Five-Year Term
To align military laws with the constitutional restructuring, the government amended the Pakistan Army Act shortly after the 27th Amendment. The revised Section 8A stipulates that the first COAS serving concurrently as CDF begins a fresh tenure from the date of notification. This effectively restarts Field Marshal Munir’s five-year term from the day the notification was issued.
Article 8A further states that the president, on the prime minister’s advice, will determine the terms and conditions of the dual-role COAS/CDF. Munir originally assumed the office of army chief on November 29, 2022.
In November 2024, the government amended the service laws, extending the tenure of the three services chiefs from three to five years, while keeping the CJCSC’s tenure at three years. These changes also allowed service chiefs to be reappointed or granted extensions for up to five years. Under this framework, the COAS-plus-CDF could be extended or reappointed until as late as December 2035.
Speculation Over Delay
The delay in releasing the notification triggered widespread speculation, particularly after the CJCSC post was abolished on November 27 upon Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza’s retirement. With Munir’s original three-year term ending on November 29, many questioned why the government had not issued the notification promptly.
Political insiders suggested that the delay might have involved discussions over major upcoming appointments, including the new Commander National Strategic Command (CNSC), a potential vice chief of the army staff (VCOAS), and possibly a future ISI chief. The army clarified that no VCOAS would be appointed, and under the amended laws, appointments such as the CNSC would be based on the CDF’s recommendations.
Government representatives consistently denied any friction with the military, attributing the timing to procedural requirements and the prime minister’s travel schedule. Nonetheless, the silence was widely perceived as unusual, especially considering how rapidly the 27th Amendment had been passed.
New Command Structure Under CDF
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the defence ministry was finalising a new organisational structure for the CDF. A draft had already been shared with the Prime Minister’s Office. He dismissed rumours of disagreements, stating that the notification’s timing was only affected by the prime minister being abroad.
