Pakistan creates powerful new military command post for all three services

Pakistan’s Parliament has for the first time established a legal framework giving a single military officer command authority over the country’s Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Defence Forces of Pakistan Act, 2026, approved by the National Assembly in late August, created the position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). Field Marshal Asim Munir has become Pakistan’s first CDF while retaining his position as Chief of Army Staff, The Indian Express reports.

The new post represents the most significant restructuring of Pakistan’s military command since 1976. Unlike the previous joint command structure, the CDF has statutory operational authority over all three branches of the armed forces and reports directly to the federal government.

Munir’s term as CDF will last five years, taking him through at least 2030.

Previously, coordination between the military services was primarily handled by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, a position established in 1976. The chairman had a coordinating role but no direct legal authority to command the Navy or Air Force.

The new system centralises operational control of Pakistan’s Army, Navy and Air Force under the CDF, marking a major shift in the country’s military command structure.

By Sabina Mammadli