President Appoints Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan’s First Chief of Defence Forces

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday approved the appointment of Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), marking a historic reshaping of the country’s military command structure.

According to an official statement, the president also approved a two-year extension in the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, extending his best wishes to both commanders as they continue their service.

A New Constitutional Role

The newly created CDF position — introduced under the 27th Constitutional Amendment — replaces the now-abolished office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which formally ended on November 27.
The CDF role will be a dual-hatted appointment, combining responsibilities of the army chief with those of the new defence forces leadership.

Prime Minister’s Congratulations

Following the announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his congratulations to Field Marshal Munir, calling the appointment aligned with the country’s modern defence and security needs.

“Under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, our brave armed forces inflicted a humiliating defeat on the enemy,” the premier said in a statement issued by the PM Office. He added that the creation of the CDF role would further strengthen national defence in line with contemporary warfare requirements.

The prime minister also congratulated Air Chief Marshal Sidhu on his extension, praising the Pakistan Air Force’s “outstanding professional capabilities” demonstrated during recent operations.

National Achievements Highlighted

The PMO statement noted that Pakistan achieved “remarkable success in Marka-i-Haq” under Field Marshal Munir’s leadership, earning international recognition.
It further stated that under ACM Sidhu, the Pakistan Air Force “destroyed enemy fighter jets” during the “Battle of Truth,” reinforcing its operational dominance.

“We will, together, make the country’s defence impregnable,” Prime Minister Sharif said.

Summary Sent to Presidency

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sharif had forwarded the summary recommending Field Marshal Munir’s appointment as both Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces. The summary was subsequently approved by the president, formalising the historic transition in Pakistan’s military hierarchy.