Speaking informally to journalists at Aiwan-e-Sadar in Islamabad, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) said that, ‘Now everything is fine in Pakistan, everything is in front of you, things are going for the better. Pakistan will fly higher from here.” Aiwan-e-Sadar is the official residence and office of the President of Pakistan. Asim Munir gave this statement when after much struggle, assessment and apprehension, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif gave consent to make Field Marshal Asim Munir the first Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) of the country and forwarded the file related to this to President Asif Zardari.
After this, President Zardari approved the appointment of Asim Munir as CDF. After this order, Asim Munir has become the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) of Pakistan for 5 years.
With this change, all the strength of Pakistan Army has been concentrated in one post. This post is Chief of Defense Forces. Asim Munir will hold this post from today (5 December 2025). To give this power to Asim Munir, the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) was abolished forever in Pakistan. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza retired from this post on 27 November 2025.
CDF has control of Army, Navy, Air Force
As a result of this change, CDF will now have direct and complete control over all three armies of Pakistan (Army, Navy, Air Force). This new post has been created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment (12 November 2025).
Full command of operational combat
Asim Munir will now have full command of operational combat. That means, in case of any conflict, they themselves will be in a position to take the final decision. Now he will have direct control of all the operational, combatant, logistics and training commands of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Now there will be no separate CJCSC. Despite being associated with the Army, Munir will now be able to direct all the forces alone.
Leading strategic campaigns
As CDF Asim Munir will have the power to take immediate decisions in border security, cross-border strikes, counter-terrorism and emergency war situations. Before the formation of CDF, senior officers of the army had to exercise these powers in coordination with other officers of other armies.
Asim Munir will now also supervise nuclear/missile programs (National Strategic Command). This change ensures “unity of command” and will speed up decisions, but critics say it will increase the military’s influence over the civilian government. Apart from this, the decision taken by an individual will have its limits.
Impact on war policy
Due to Asim Munir becoming the Chief of Defense Forces, the influence of one person on Pakistan’s war policy will increase. Asim Munir’s involvement in designing national security, defense strategies and war policy will increase. Asim Munir will nominally give military advice to the Prime Minister and the President, and will also take diplomatic advice from them, but in reality his decision will be effective.
constitutional role
Under Article 243, Asim Munir will put the final seal on increasing the military forces, maintaining and managing the reserve forces, issuing commissions, promotion of top officers, military budget.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has congratulated Asim Munir on this appointment. Shahbaz Sharif wrote on Twitter, “I heartily congratulate Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on his historic appointment as the first Chief of Defense Forces of Pakistan.”
Shahbaz Sharif, remembering Pakistan’s clash with India in May, has once again praised Asim Munir. He has written that as the sentinels of our nation’s security, his leadership has been vital in helping our brave armed forces achieve a decisive victory in the battle of truth.
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