Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has become Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces, after the president approved his appointment to the newly created post on Thursday evening.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a summary appointing Field Marshal Munir as Chief of Army Staff and concurrently as Chief of Defence Forces, and sent it to the Presidency for approval. President Asif Ali Zardari then approved the appointment, confirming Munir’s expanded role.
The appointment is for a period of five years. Field Marshal Munir will continue as Chief of Army Staff while also holding the new post, making him the first officer in the country’s history to lead the armed forces in this combined role.
The post of Chief of Defence Forces was created through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed by parliament last year, which was designed to improve coordination among the army, navy and air force. Under the new arrangement, the Chief of Defence Forces oversees all three services, replacing the earlier system in which a separate chairman led the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The prime minister also approved a two-year extension in the service of Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu. The extension will take effect when his present five-year tenure ends in March 2026.
In its statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said the appointment would strengthen coordination between the services at a time when the armed forces face complex security challenges on several fronts. The president extended his best wishes to Field Marshal Munir and to the air chief for their tenures.
Field Marshal Munir was promoted to the rank of field marshal earlier this year, and his appointment as Chief of Defence Forces marks another milestone in a career that has already seen him lead the army through a period of intense regional tension.
The creation of the post has been the subject of debate in parliament and in the media, with supporters arguing that a single commander for the three services will improve planning and decision-making, while critics have questioned the concentration of military authority in one office.
For now, the formal process is complete: the prime minister’s summary has been approved by the president, and the appointment stands for five years. The formal notification will follow the approval process, as is customary for senior military appointments.
The development comes as Pakistan’s armed forces continue to deal with security threats along the western border and tensions in the wider region, and the new command structure is expected to shape how the three services work together in the years ahead.
Observers will now watch how the new role is defined in practice, including the division of responsibilities between the Chief of Defence Forces and the individual service chiefs, and how the change affects the day-to-day running of the armed forces.
