Web Desk (MNN) – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that the official notification confirming the appointment of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) will be released soon, noting that the necessary procedure has already commenced.
In a post on social media platform X, Asif wrote that the process for appointing the first CDF has been initiated and that the notification will be issued after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns to the country from his visit to London, where he is reportedly undergoing medical consultations.
The new CDF role was introduced under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, replacing the recently abolished post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which officially ended on November 27. Under the revised structure, the CDF title will be held by the serving Chief of Army Staff (COAS), combining both positions.
Analysts had expected the formal announcement to coincide with the termination of the CJCSC office, particularly as November 29 marked the date on which Field Marshal Asim Munir’s original three-year term as COAS was supposed to conclude. However, the day passed without any notification, prompting fresh debate.
Legal experts had previously flagged ambiguity, suggesting that the absence of a notification could imply expiry of the COAS tenure. However, the 2024 amendment to the Pakistan Army Act extended the service chiefs’ term to five years and included a clause that this revision would be considered part of the law from the beginning, thereby removing the need for a renewal order extending the army chief’s service.
Despite this, legal and security circles widely agree that the appointment of the CDF is a new office and therefore requires a formal public notification. Under the new legislation, the army chief will simultaneously serve as the CDF for five years.
Sources indicated that the government is still deliberating key issues, including whether the five-year term should be counted from November 2022, when Asim Munir assumed command, or from November 2025 as previously assumed in political discussion.
Another unresolved aspect relates to the scope of operational authority the CDF will have over the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force.
While the 27th Amendment was passed swiftly through parliament earlier this month, the delay in notification has caused discomfort within senior military circles and disrupted what was expected to be a smooth transition to the revamped defence structure.
Additionally, the appointment of the National Strategic Command chief — a new four-star position that will take over nuclear command responsibilities previously held by the CJCSC — also remains pending and is expected only after the CDF order is finalized.
