President Zardari Approves Appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan’s First Chief of Defence Forces

President Asif Ali Zardari has officially approved the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), marking a historic restructuring of the country’s military leadership. The presidency confirmed the decision in a press release, noting that the president also approved a two-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, wishing both officers success in their respective tenures.

The newly created CDF role, established under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, replaces the now-abolished position of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which formally ended on November 27. The office of the CDF will be dual-hatted, combining the responsibilities of the army chief with the overarching authority of the chief of defence forces, reflecting a significant shift in Pakistan’s military command structure.