Pakistan formally appoints Asim Munir as first CDF

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday approved the appointment of the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, as Pakistan's first Chief of Defence Forces for a period of five years.

President Zardari approved the summary submitted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally asking him to appoint Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Munir as the first CDF of Pakistan.

Last month, the parliament passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment providing to create the post of CDF with the objective to create unity of command and expedite the decision making in any critical situation.

The CDF replaced the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), the post for which was abolished.

The President extended his best wishes to Munir, a release from President’s office said here.

Zardari also approved a two-year extension in the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff, to take effect from the completion of his present tenure on March 19, 2026.

According to a statement by the PM Office, the prime minister had earlier approved the summary for the appointment of Field Marshal Munir as the army chief and the CDF, and then referred it to the President House.

Field Marshal Munir was appointed as COAS in November 2022 initially for three years but his tenure was extended for five years in 2024.

The decision to issue a formal notification has put to rest rumours regarding delay in the appointment of the CDF, which was due since November 27, when the last CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza retired.

Earlier, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, addressing a press conference, had said that there was no legal or political obstacle regarding the notification of the appointment of the Chief of Defence Forces and this notification would be issued soon.