Field Marshal Asim Munir has been appointed Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) after President Asif Ali Zardari approved a summary submitted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. The appointment marks a major restructuring of Pakistan’s military leadership under recently passed defence amendment laws.
Field Marshal Munir, who will continue serving as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will now hold both posts for a five-year term. He became Pakistan’s second field marshal, and the first in more than 60 years, after being elevated to the rank earlier this year following Pakistan’s victory over India in the May conflict.
Speaking informally to journalists at Aiwan-e-Sadr shortly before the announcement, Munir said Pakistan was now “moving towards improvement” and would “soar to greater heights” in the coming years.
Alongside Munir’s appointment, President Zardari also approved a two-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu. His extended term will begin after the completion of his current five-year tenure in March 2026.
The President’s Secretariat said both officers were offered “best wishes” for their continued leadership.
A historic restructuring of Pakistan’s defence system
The new post of Chief of Defence Forces was created under the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy (Amendment) Bills 2025, which received presidential approval on November 15. The reforms abolish the position of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), replacing it with the Commander of the National Strategic Command. This commander will be appointed for three years from among serving army generals.
Under the amendments, Article 243, relating to the authority and responsibilities of a field marshal, now applies to any general promoted to that rank. The federal government is also empowered to assign CDF responsibilities, including multi-domain integration and restructuring across all services.
A key provision states that once the dual appointment notification for COAS and CDF is issued, the tenure of the army chief resets from that date.
A look at Field Marshal Munir’s career
Commissioned in 1986 in the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment, Field Marshal Asim Munir has held some of the most sensitive and senior positions in the Pakistan Army. His career includes:
• Director-General of Military Intelligence (MI)
• Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
• Corps Commander Gujranwala
• Quartermaster General at GHQ
• Force Commander Northern Areas
• Chief of Staff, Mangla Corps
• Instructor at Command and Staff College, Quetta
Munir is a graduate of military institutions in Japan, Malaysia, and Pakistan, and holds an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from NDU. He is also a Hafiz-e-Quran.
National leadership responds
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Munir, saying the new CDF role aligns Pakistan’s military structure with modern warfare requirements and will strengthen national defence. He credited Munir with leading Pakistan’s forces to a “humiliating defeat” of the enemy during the recent conflict.
The PM also praised Air Chief Marshal Sidhu for the Pakistan Air Force’s performance in the four-day war with India, saying the PAF established “overwhelming dominance.”
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti welcomed Munir’s appointment, saying the armed forces had thwarted aggression under his leadership and that his elevation “reflected the nation’s aspirations.”
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Munir’s new role was a testament to his leadership, recalling the “extraordinarily courageous decisions” he made during the war. He said the position of CDF would enhance coordination among Pakistan’s armed services.
Field Marshal Munir now assumes one of the most powerful military roles in Pakistan’s history, overseeing integration, strategic coordination, and operational alignment across the army, navy, and air force.
