Islamabad: Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved a major constitutional change that could overhaul the country’s military command structure, paving the way for Army Chief General Asim Munir to take over as the first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, according to a report by Dawn.
The amendment bill, which was introduced in the Senate on Saturday, has been forwarded to the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Law and Justice for joint scrutiny before final approval.
If passed, the legislation will abolish the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) — a post currently held by General Sahir Shamshad Mirza — and merge its functions under the new CDF role. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that the existing CJCSC office will cease to exist once Mirza’s term ends on November 27.
“No sitting officer will be affected by this change. The position will simply not continue after the current chairman’s tenure concludes,” Tarar explained during parliamentary deliberations, calling Mirza “a hero” who would complete his term with full honors.
The law minister also confirmed that General Asim Munir, who was recently bestowed the honorary lifetime title of Field Marshal, would assume the newly created CDF position, effectively centralizing the country’s top military authority.
“The amendment formalizes the role of Field Marshal as an honorary title, not a rank or appointment,” Tarar said. “It is a lifetime distinction — similar to the Marshal of the Air Force or Admiral of the Fleet in other nations.”
The bill specifies that officers promoted to such titles will retain their uniform, privileges, and ceremonial rank for life. It further stipulates that only Parliament, not the Prime Minister, will have the authority to withdraw or revoke these honorary titles — a clause meant to ensure the autonomy of the legislative process.
General Munir’s impending elevation follows Pakistan’s brief border conflict with India earlier this year, after which the government honored him with the title of Field Marshal in recognition of his leadership. The confrontation ended after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) requested a ceasefire from his Indian counterpart, following significant damage to Pakistani military installations.
The proposed changes have ignited a political debate within Pakistan’s parliament. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) expressed conditional support, saying it backs revisions to Article 243 concerning the armed forces but will resist any clauses perceived to undermine provincial autonomy guaranteed under the 18th Amendment.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have criticized the proposal, describing it as an attempt to “concentrate power” and “undermine parliamentary oversight.” PTI leaders went as far as calling the bill “an attack on Parliament itself.”
The joint law committees of both Houses are scheduled to meet again on Sunday to continue reviewing the amendment before it proceeds to the full chambers for debate and voting.
If enacted, the 27th Amendment would mark one of the most significant structural changes in Pakistan’s military hierarchy since independence — unifying command under a single, powerful Chief of Defence Forces for the first time in the nation’s history.
