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In one of the most consequential structural reforms in Pakistan’s military hierarchy, the government has moved to unify command across all armed services. Under the newly enacted Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2025 — part of the larger 27th Constitutional Amendment package — the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) has been abolished. In its place is the newly created post of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), and the current Army Chief, Asim Munir, is set to assume that unified command. Pakistan Today+2Aaj English TV+2
What Changed: From CJCSC to a Unified Command
Under the previous structure, the CJCSC had served for nearly five decades as the symbolic apex of tri-service coordination of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Dawn+2Pakistan Today+2 Critics long argued that the office never fully achieved its goal of impartial oversight of all services, especially since the Army — the largest service — remained dominant. Dawn+1
With the new amendments, the office of CJCSC will be abolished effective November 27, 2025. Aaj English TV+2Pakistan Today+2 Instead, the COAS will also serve as CDF, making him the single highest uniformed officer, with constitutional powers over all three services. Dawn+2Dawn+2
The Act also creates a new post: the Commander National Strategic Command (CNSC), who will be appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the CDF/COAS, for a three-year term, extendable further. The Express Tribune+3Aaj English TV+3Pakistan Today+3
Asim Munir: First CDF — Tenure Reset and Expanded Powers
Under the amendment, once the formal notification is issued, Asim Munir—already elevated to the rank of five-star Field Marshal—will officially assume the new unified title. Minute Mirror+2Times of Islamabad+2
Importantly, his tenure will “restart” from the date of his appointment as CDF, giving him a fresh five-year term under the law. Aaj English TV+2Times of Islamabad+2 The legal amendments duplicate many of the protections and privileges previously reserved for a Field Marshal, now extended in the context of the unified role. Dawn+2Business Standard+2
Under the new framework, the CDF/COAS will have an expanded mandate — overseeing joint operations, multi-domain integration, restructuring defence capabilities, and broader strategic planning for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Times of Islamabad+2Pakistan Today+2
The law also allows, upon recommendation of the CDF, the appointment of Vice-Chief/Deputy Chief of Army Staff who may be empowered to exercise COAS/CDF powers through written orders — a move that centralizes operational, administrative, and strategic authority. Times of Islamabad+2Dawn+2
Implications: What This Means for Pakistan’s Defence & Governance
The reform marks a dramatic re-centralization of military power. By merging the top leadership of all services under one individual, the Army — headed by Asim Munir — now has constitutional control over tri-service coordination and strategic command. Pakistan Today+2Business Standard+2
The abolition of the CJCSC — historically intended as an institutional mechanism for coordination — removes the only formal office that represented the Navy and Air Force at the very top. This has sparked intense debate and concern over institutional balance, inter-service autonomy, civilian oversight, and future decision-making dynamics. Reuters+2Moneycontrol+2
Proponents argue this reform streamlines command and enhances jointness among services — a necessity in modern multi-domain conflict scenarios. Critics warn it risks over-centralizing authority in one individual, weakening checks and balances, and potentially undermining institutional pluralism within the military. Dawn+2Moneycontrol+2
Another consequential change: the creation of the Commander, National Strategic Command — a key post for overseeing strategic (including nuclear) assets — indirectly hands additional leverage over strategic forces under the broader unified military command. Zoom News+2Aaj English TV+2
Moreover, because the five-star rank of Field Marshal and the constitutionally entrenched CDF post carry strong protections and privileges, this reform appears designed to offer long-term (possibly lifelong) institutional weight to those who occupy it — a structural shift with deep political and strategic implications. Dawn+2Business Standard+2
A New Era in Pakistan’s Military Architecture
With the retirement of Sahir Shamshad Mirza — the last CJCSC — and the formalisation of the new unified command structure, Pakistan entered a new chapter in its defence establishment on November 27, 2025. Pakistan Today+2Dawn+2
The consolidation of power under Field Marshal Asim Munir as CDF/COAS sets a precedent for the highest levels of military decision-making, command and control. The shift aligns the legal framework with what many analysts view as a long-standing informal reality — the primacy of the Army in Pakistan’s security architecture. Business Standard+2Geo News+2
Whether this restructuring will lead to more efficient coordination and stronger defence posture — or further concentrate power in a way that affects civil-military balance — remains to be seen. What is clear: this is one of the most significant reforms to Pakistan’s defence establishment since the founding of the separate services.
