- Field Marshal Munir shall simultaneously serve as COAS, CDF.
- Titles collected below Pakistan Army (Amendment).
- Federal Government to determine the duties, responsibilities of the CDF.
ISLAMABAD: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will be officially inducted as Chief of Defense Staff (CDF) concurrently with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) with effect from today, The news rreported Friday.
The change will be mentioned in all official papers, military references and media reports with the joint office of the Chief of the Defense Forces and the Chief of the Army Staff.
The unification of the title comes as President Asif Ali Zardari on November 15 gave his assent to the 2025 amendments to the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy following their approval by Parliament.
According to the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, the COAS will concurrently serve as the Chief of Defense Forces for five years. Field Marshal Munir’s tenure will restart from the date the new notification is issued.
Article 243 provisions applicable to a field marshal will also apply to a general promoted to rank. The Federal Government may authorize the Deputy Chief of Army Staff or the Deputy Chief of Army Staff to exercise the powers of the COAS under written orders issued on the recommendation of the CDF.
The legislation further clarified that once the first dual office notification is issued, the tenure of the incumbent COAS will be deemed to have restarted from the date of that notification.
The federal government will now determine the CDF’s duties and responsibilities, including multi-domain integration, restructuring and ensuring cohesion across the armed forces.
A major structural change approved in the bill is the elimination of the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), to be replaced by the Commander in Chief of the National Strategic Command.
The Prime Minister may, on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF, appoint the Commander-in-Chief from among serving generals of the Pakistan Army for a three-year term.
The post of CJCSC has also ceased to exist under the 27th constitutional amendment – with General (retd) Sahir Shamshad Mirza retiring on Wednesday as the country’s last CJCSC.
