• Notification issued after approval from President Asif Ali Zardari.
• COAS Munir elevated to rank of Field Marshal earlier this year.
• CDF Munir says Pakistan would soar to greater heights.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Defence on Friday issued an official notification for the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

The notification was issued day after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for five years,” read a statement issued by the President House on Thursday.

The top army official — who was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal earlier this year — will concurrently serve as Chief of Army Staff for five years.

COAS Munir was elevated to the rank of field marshal — Pakistan’s second and the first in more than six decades — following the country’s resounding victory over India in the May war.

This marks a significant development in the country’s military leadership, with Field Marshal Munir taking charge of the newly established position of CDF.

Separately, the defence ministry issued another notification extending the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, the Chief of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by two years.

The extension will come into effect once his ongoing five-year term concludes in March 2026.

While approving the two summaries, the president extended “best wishes to the COAS, concurrently the Chief of Defence Forces” and the PAF chief for their successful tenures, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat.

Moments before his appointment, COAS Munir said that, from here onwards, Pakistan would soar to greater heights.

“Everything is fine; it’s all in front of you. Things are moving towards improvement, and Pakistan will now soar to greater heights from here,” he told journalists during an informal conversation at the Awain-e-Sadar in Islamabad.

The establishment of new military title follows President Zardari’s assent on November 15 to the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy (Amendment) Bills 2025, after their approval by parliament.

Under the amended provisions, Article 243, which governs the powers and responsibilities of a Field Marshal, will also apply to any General promoted to the rank.

The federal government may authorise the Vice Chief of Army Staff or Deputy Chief of Army Staff to exercise the powers of the COAS under written orders issued on the recommendation of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

The legislation further stipulates that once the first notification for the dual office of COAS and CDF is issued, the incumbent COAS’ tenure will be considered to have recommenced from the date of that notification.

The federal government will determine the specific duties and responsibilities of the CDF, which will include multi-domain integration, restructuring, and ensuring jointness across the armed forces.

A significant structural change introduced under the amendment is the abolition of the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which will now be replaced by the Commander of the National Strategic Command.

The prime minister may appoint the Commander from among serving Pakistan Army generals for a three-year term, based on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF.

With the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the post of CJCSC had officially ceased to exist, and General (retd) Sahir Shamshad Mirza retired as the country’s last occupant of the position.

A brief look into Field Marshal Munir’s military career

Field Marshal Munir, Pakistan’s new CDF, was commissioned in the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment in 1986. He passed out with the 17th Officers Training Course at Mangla.

He has held several key military positions, including directing staff at Command and Staff College, Quetta; brigade major of a deployed infantry brigade in Kel; general staff officer, grade-2 at the CGS secretariat; and chief of staff of Mangla Corps. He also served as Quartermaster General at the General Headquarters.

Field Marshal Munir has commanded the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment and an infantry brigade, and has served as force commander in the Northern Areas, Gilgit.

He has held top intelligence positions, including Director General of Military Intelligence (MI) and head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). After heading ISI, he was posted as Corps Commander Gujranwala and then as Quartermaster General — his last assignment before becoming army chief.

He graduated from Fuji School, Japan; Command and Staff College, Quetta; Malaysian Armed Forces College, Kuala Lumpur; and National Defence University, Islamabad. He also holds an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from the National Defence University.

He is a keen sportsman, avid reader, traveller, and a Hafiz-e-Quran.