Field Marshal Asim Munir Appointed Pakistan’s First Chief of Defence Forces

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Field Marshal Asim Munir was appointed the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) on Thursday, marking the most far-reaching overhaul of Pakistan’s military command structure since the 1970s.

The development came after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for five years,” the Presidency said, ending days of uncertainty over the delayed notification.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommended Field Marshal Munir for the newly established dual-hatted position. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that a summary approving his appointment as Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and concurrently as Chief of Defence Forces had been forwarded to the Presidency.

Sweeping Constitutional Changes

The new institutional arrangement centralises operational, administrative and strategic command authority under a single office created through amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution under the 27th Amendment.

The revised Article 243 stipulates that the president—acting on the prime minister’s advice—shall appoint the army chief, who will simultaneously serve as the Chief of Defence Forces.

The amendment also abolishes the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), dismantling the tri-service coordination mechanism established in 1976. Joint command integration now falls under the CDF.

Tenure Reset and Legal Adjustments

To align military law with the constitutional overhaul, the government subsequently amended the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) of 1952.

Under the newly inserted Article 8A:

• Sub-section (i) states that the first appointment of the COAS concurrently serving as CDF will have his tenure commence from the date of notification.
• The same notification causes the “existing tenure of the incumbent COAS” to be reset and deemed to have restarted on that date.
• Sub-section (iii) authorises the president, on the prime minister’s advice, to determine the terms and conditions of the dual-hatted office.

Field Marshal Munir originally assumed command as the 17th Army Chief on November 29, 2022.

Tenure Extensions Up to 2035 Possible

In November 2024, the government amended the PAA to extend the tenure of all services chiefs from three to five years, while maintaining a three-year term for the CJCSC (now abolished). The revisions also allow reappointment or extensions of up to five years.

Under the 27th Amendment and the revised legal framework, the president—on the prime minister’s advice—may reappoint or extend the tenure of the COAS-plus-CDF by another five years, potentially enabling Field Marshal Munir to remain in office until December 2035.