By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Defence minister on Sunday sought to quell mounting speculation over the delayed appointment of the country’s new chief of defence forces, saying that the formal notification would be issued “in due course of time” once Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns from a medical trip abroad.
The position, a powerful new role consolidating command over the army, air force and navy, was created this month under a constitutional amendment that has reshaped the military’s hierarchy. But the absence of an official announcement has fueled questions about the tenure of the incumbent army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and speculations of a potential rift at the highest levels of government and the armed forces.
“There is unnecessary and irresponsible speculation about CDF notification,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif wrote in a post on the social media platform X. “Please be informed that the process has been initiated. PM is returning shortly. Notification will be issued in due course of time. No room for any conjecturing. Period!”
The chief of defence forces, or CDF, replaces the now-defunct office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, which was abolished on Nov. 27 with the retirement of Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza. Under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed earlier this month, the CDF is a dual-hatted post held concurrently by the army chief for a five-year term.
The amendment effectively extends Field Marshal Munir’s tenure as army chief, originally set to end on Nov. 29 after three years, by an additional five years, pushing his retirement to November 2030. A separate change to the Pakistan Army Act in 2024 had already lengthened the terms of all three service chiefs to five years, including a clause that deemed the extension retroactive.
Yet the creation of the CDF as a distinct assignment has prompted legal and security experts to insist on a fresh notification to formalise the merger of roles. Without it, some argued, Field Marshal Munir’s authority could be seen as lapsed, despite the earlier extension. “On issuance of notification of the first appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff concurrently the Chief of the Defense Forces under this sub-section, the existing tenure of the incumbent Chief of the Army Staff shall be deemed to have recommenced from the date of such notification,” states the amended Army Act. This provision means Field Marshal Munir, appointed army chief in November 2022, could serve a total of eight years in the role until 2030, with the possibility of a further five-year extension under the new law. The amendment also grants lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution to field marshals and the president.
Minister Asif’s comments indicated that the delay stems in part from Prime Minister Sharif’s absence, who is in the United Kingdom for medical checkups, according to local media.
But security sources and officials familiar with the matter, speaking to the newspaper Dawn, described the holdup as reflecting deeper debates within the government. Among the unresolved issues: whether Field Marshal Munir’s five-year CDF term begins from his original 2022 appointment or from a later date, such as this November, as speculated after the legislation’s passage.
Another point of contention involves the precise scope of the CDF’s operational and command authority over the Pakistan Air Force and Navy, which the role is meant to unify under a single leader. The CDF’s responsibilities include oversight of joint operations, multi-domain planning and inter-service integration, merging operational, administrative and strategic powers. This restructuring aims to streamline Pakistan’s military command, but the notification snag has embarrassed top brass and hindered a smooth transition, Dawn reported.
The government rushed the 27th Amendment through Parliament this month amid little debate, but the ensuing delay has left the higher-defence framework in limbo. A related decision, the appointment of a new four-star commander for the National Strategic Command, which will handle nuclear responsibilities previously under the Joint Chiefs chairman, is also on hold, pending the CDF notification.
Legal experts have noted that the 2024 Army Act amendment included a “deeming” clause declaring it “shall always be deemed to have been part of the Pakistan Army Act,” which they say obviated the need for re-notification on the chief’s extended term alone. Still, there is broad agreement among security and legal officials that the CDF, as a new entity, demands explicit formalisation.
Several security sources contacted by Dawn emphasised that the government must issue a public notification assigning the CDF duties to Field Marshal Munir to avoid ambiguity.
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