In a major restructuring of Pakistan’s military command, the Shehbaz Sharif government has formally appointed Field Marshal Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a five-year tenure. The elevation follows the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which abolished the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and created the new, more powerful role of CDF.
A notification issued by the President’s Office confirmed that President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment based on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the summary submitted by the Prime Minister for the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir NI(M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff, concurrently as Chief of Defence Forces for a period of five years,” the statement said.
Munir, who became Army Chief in November 2022 for an initial three-year term, was granted a five-year extension in 2024. Earlier this year, he was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal, making him the first Pakistani military leader to simultaneously hold the positions of COAS and CDF.
New Constitutional Role Redefines Chain of Command
The landmark 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed last month, has reshaped the top tier of Pakistan’s military structure. With the creation of the CDF post, the previously existing CJCSC position stood abolished, centralising authority and giving the CDF overarching operational and administrative control over all three services.
The appointment also ends weeks of speculation since the retirement of the last CJCSC, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, on November 27.
Air Chief Sidhu Gets Two-Year Extension
The Prime Minister’s Office also announced a two-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu. His extended tenure will commence after the completion of his current five-year term in March 2026.
Backdrop: Aftermath of Operation Sindoor
The sweeping military overhaul comes in the aftermath of Pakistan’s strategic setback during India’s Operation Sindoor in May this year. The operation, launched in retaliation to a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam, destroyed multiple terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and inflicted major damage on strategic airbases. The intense cross-border exchange lasted four days before both sides agreed to halt military action on May 10.
With Field Marshal Munir now officially at the helm as Pakistan’s first CDF, the country enters a new phase of military consolidation amid continuing internal and regional security challenges.
