Pakistan appoints army chief as country’s first chief of defense forces

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari approved on Thursday the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), following a summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Field Marshal Munir, who currently serves as Chief of Army Staff, will hold both positions concurrently. The five-year appointment makes him the first officer to assume the newly created post of CDF, a role intended to coordinate among Pakistan’s armed services.

The president also approved a two-year extension for Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber, effective after the completion of his current five-year tenure in March 2026.

The appointments follow recent constitutional amendments and legislative changes aimed at formalizing the CDF role, part of broader reforms to Pakistan’s military command structure.

Ministers urge against speculation

Federal ministers have signaled that the CDF appointment was imminent and dismissed speculation over political delays.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the final notification “will soon come before everyone” and cautioned against conjecture.

Tarar emphasized that the constitutional and legislative framework governing the appointment is clear. “Article 243 has no confusion and consequential amendments leave no room for doubt,” he said, noting that the amendments specify the army chief will concurrently serve as CDF, a provision that remains valid until the retirement of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, who has now stepped down.

The law minister also highlighted 2024 legislative changes extending the tenures of army, naval, and air chiefs from three to five years, allowing partial extensions from one to five years. He noted that the army chief is already serving a five-year term by law.

CDF position

The new CDF position was established under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which abolished the CJCSC on Nov. 27 after Parliament approved the reforms and President Asif Ali Zardari signed them into law on Nov. 13. The Senate passed the amendment the same day.

The amendment represents one of Pakistan’s most sweeping constitutional overhauls in recent years. It creates a Federal Constitutional Court, restructures judicial titles and revises multiple clauses related to military command and presidential powers.

It also grants legal protection to the ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air, and Admiral of the Fleet and authorizes the creation of a unified military command structure through the new post of Chief of Defense Forces. The CDF will oversee the army, navy and air force under a single leadership framework approved by the federal cabinet.

Field Marshal Munir becomes the first officer to assume this consolidated command and will retain his rank with legal immunity after completing his tenure.