Field Marshal Munir was appointed as COAS in November 2022 initially for three years but his tenure was extended for five years in 2024. Now he has been appointed as the Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces. The appointment will be for five years.
In a sweeping overhaul of Pakistan’s military structure, the Shehbaz Sharif government has approved the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a five-year term. The top military leader, who was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal earlier this year, will continue to serve as the Chief of Army Staff as well. According to a notification issued by the President’s Office, President Asif Ali Zardari cleared Munir’s appointment based on a summary forwarded by Prime Minister Sharif. The statement issued read, “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.”
New constitutional amendment reshapes military command
The appointment follows the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment last month, which paved the way for creating the post of Chief of Defence Forces. With the introduction of the CDF role, Pakistan has formally abolished the earlier post of Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Field Marshal Munir initially assumed charge as Army Chief in November 2022 for a three-year term, which was later extended for five years in 2024.
Air chief Zaheer Ahmed Sidhu gets two-year extension
The Prime Minister’s Office also announced that PM Sharif has approved a two-year extension in the tenure of Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu. This extended period will begin once his current five-year tenure ends in March 2026.ย
With the formal notification now issued, speculation surrounding the overdue CDF appointment has finally been settled. The position has been vacant since November 27, following the retirement of the last CJCSC, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.ย
Operation Sindoor
It is worth noting that Pakistan’s sweeping military overhaul comes months after the country faced a major setback during India’s Operation Sindoor in May this year. The operation was launched in response to the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam and resulted in the destruction of nine key terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, along with significant damage to strategic airbases. The strikes led to four days of intense cross-border clashes, which finally ceased following an understanding to halt military actions on May 10.
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