- Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy Acts amended to implement 27th Constitutional Amendment
- COAS Field Marshal Asim Munir’s tenure as CDF now starts from date of notification
- CJCSC post replaced by Commander of National Strategic Command across armed forces
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday gave his assent to three key military-related bills, including the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2025, effectively resetting the tenure of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir following his appointment as Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF). The President also approved amendments to the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy acts, marking a significant step in implementing the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Notifications of the assents were shared by the PPP on social media platform X.
صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری نے پاکستان آرمی (ترمیمی) بل 2025، پاکستان ایئر فورس (ترمیمی) بل 2025 اور پاکستان نیوی (ترمیمی) بل 2025 کی منظوری دے دی ہے۔@AAliZardari pic.twitter.com/7qDI2SAtjc
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) November 15, 2025
With his approval, the bills have now become part of the Constitution, formalising changes that will reshape Pakistan’s military leadership structure. As explained earlier this week by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar in the National Assembly, the five-year tenure of the CDF will now commence from the date of notification of his appointment.
All three pieces of legislation, hurriedly passed by Parliament without debate, pertain to the 27th Amendment, which has also paved the way for the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). The amendment has faced sharp criticism from opposition parties.
Under the Army Act changes, the term “chief of the army staff” will be replaced with “chief of the defence forces,” while the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) will be replaced with “commander of the National Strategic Command.” Section 8A of the Pakistan Army Act 1952 has also been amended to specify that, for the first appointment of the CDF, tenure begins from the date of notification.
The legislation further allows the Prime Minister, on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF, to appoint the commander of the National Strategic Command from among army generals for a three-year term, with the possibility of reappointment or extension up to three years. It also ensures that such appointments, reappointments, or extensions “shall not be called into question before any court on any ground whatsoever.”
Additionally, the federal government may authorise, in writing and on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF, a vice or deputy chief of the army staff to exercise specified powers and functions of the COAS under any existing law, rules, or orders.
Amendments to the Air Force and Navy acts similarly remove the post of CJCSC from their statutory documents, aligning all three services under the new leadership structure established by the 27th Amendment.
