In line with the restructuring of the defence forces command as envisaged in the 27th Constitutional Amendment, President Asif Ali Zardari, on Thursday, approved a summary moved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to appoint Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a period of five years. He also approved a two-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, which will take effect upon completion of his current five-year term in March next year, keeping him in office until March 2028.
The notification for appointment of the CDF brings to an end wild speculations and rumours floated by some vested interests to create uncertainty and confusion in the country. The smooth completion of the process is reflective of institutional harmony, which augurs well for strength and unity of the nation. The new arrangement consolidates operational, administrative and strategic authority in a single office (CDF) established through amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution under the 27th Amendment. The amendment also abolished the office of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), dismantling the tri-service coordination system in place since 1976 and transferring joint command integration to the CDF. The amendment also empowers the federal government to define the CDF’s functions, including multi-domain integration, restructuring and enhancing jointness across services. According to Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, the Defence Ministry is working on a new organogram for the CDF, which will define the command flows between the CDF, the service chiefs and the newly established strategic command. It is, indeed, a singular honour for Syed Asim Munir to serve as the first CDF for a five year term, affording him the opportunity to contribute significantly to the cause of seamless coordination among the three services. He proved his leadership quality and a passion for professionalism during the May war with India and in recognition the nation bestowed him the rank of Field Marshal. This has also been acknowledged by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said that the remarkable success achieved under the Field Marshal’s command in recent conflicts has brought honour to Pakistan and made the nation’s name shine across the globe. He hoped that the establishment of this senior post aligns with contemporary and modern warfare requirements and will further strengthen the country’s defence. The 27th amendment also envisaged a new post of Commander National Strategic Command (CNSC), responsible for strategic forces coordination. Appointment to this post will be on the recommendation of the CDF, making the CDF the top uniformed official across operational, administrative and strategic levels. Throughout his career, the CDF demonstrated professionalism and worked hard to strengthen the defence capabilities of the country and hopefully will continue his mission with added vigour, taking all the three forces on board.
