General Syed Aamer Raza took charge as the first Commander National Strategic Command (CNSC) on Monday and held a meeting with Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
A press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said CNSC Raza was presented with a guard of honor as he took charge of the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promoted him to the rank of a four-star general and appointed him to the CNSC on 24 July, a move that completed the restructuring of the country’s higher military command initiated under the 27th constitutional amendment.
After the guard of honour, ISPR said CNSC Raza presented a wreath at the monument of the martyrs and paid tribute to them.
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He later called CDF Munir at GHQ for a meeting where the latter congratulated the four-star general on taking command.
The post of CNSC was created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which rewrote Article 243. The amendment abolished the long-standing office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and established the posts of CDF and CNSC. It also expanded the constitutional powers of the country’s senior military leadership and introduced constitutional protections for five-star generals.
Under the new law, the prime minister appoints the CNSC for a three-year term on the recommendation of the CDF. The Prime Minister is authorized to set terms, conditions and regulations for the office.
The amendment also allows the Prime Minister to re-appoint the Commander-in-Chief for a further three-year term on the recommendation of the CDF.
Read more: Prime Minister Shehbaz appoints General Aamer Raza as Commander National Strategic Command
It further said that the appointment, reappointment or extension of the CNSC cannot be challenged in any court, placing it beyond judicial review. The law also stipulated that the retirement age, length of service or removal clauses under the Army Act would not apply to the CNSC, who would continue to serve as a general in the Pakistan Army while performing his duties in the role.
