- Defense Minister says process initiated and PM is returning ‘shortly’ to issue a notification in this regard
- Army Act’s five-year ‘deeming clause’ fuels legal interpretations as legal experts insist dual-hatted CDF post still requires fresh notification
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday moved to address rising speculation over the government’s delayed transition to the new higher-defense architecture, confirming that the notification appointing Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) would be issued “in due course of time” now that the formal process had begun.
His remarks came at a moment of heightened scrutiny, with the abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) post on Nov 27 and the highly watched Nov 29 date—the day on which the original three-year tenure of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir was set to expire—both passing without any formal notification.
“Please be informed that the process has been initiated. PM is returning shortly. Notification will be issued in due course of time,” Asif wrote in a post on X, indicating that the final step hinges on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s return from London.
There is unnecessary and irresponsible speculation about CDF notification. Please be informed that the process has been initiated. PM is returning shortly. Notification will be issued in due course of time. No room for any conjecturing. Period!
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 30, 2025
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, however, later told the media that the prime minister would be back in Pakistan on Monday.
The CDF position, created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, replaces the now-defunct CJCSC, which formally ended on Nov 27. The newly created CDF will be a dual-hatted office, combining the role with that of the army chief. Officials and observers had anticipated that the government would issue the CDF notification simultaneously with the abolition of the CJCSC post. But with Nov 29—seen as a critical reference point due to Field Marshal Munir’s original tenure timeline—passing without action, questions grew about whether the government was struggling to finalize the transition.
Legal experts view
Some legal experts argued that in the absence of a new notification, Field Marshal Munir’s tenure might be interpreted as having lapsed. However, amendments to the Pakistan Army Act in 2024 extended the tenures of service chiefs to five years, accompanied by a “deeming” clause—stating that the amendment “shall always be deemed to have been part of the Pakistan Army Act.” Legal minds say this effectively eliminates the requirement for a fresh notification, extending the COAS’s tenure from three to five years.
Even so, there is broad consensus among legal and security officials that the creation of the CDF post—being a new assignment and not a continuation of an existing office—requires a formal notification. Under the 27th Amendment and related amendments to the Army Act, the army chief will simultaneously serve as the CDF for a full five-year term. Security officials contacted earlier by Dawn insisted the government must issue a new, public notification formally assigning Field Marshal Munir to the new role.
Delay interpreted as evidence of unresolved debates
The delay has also been interpreted as evidence of unresolved debates within the top tiers of government. According to individuals familiar with the discussions, one key question under consideration is which date will mark the beginning of Field Marshal Munir’s five-year COAS tenure: November 2022, when he assumed command, or November 2025, as many had assumed following passage of the new legislation.
Another sensitive issue concerns the scope of operational and command authority the CDF will exercise over the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy.
While the government rushed the 27th Amendment through parliament earlier this month, the absence of the notification has caused discomfort within the military hierarchy and disrupted what planners had hoped would be a seamless transition to the new higher-defense framework.
Another major appointment still on hold is that of the commander of the National Strategic Command, a new four-star post created to take over the nuclear management responsibilities previously held by the CJCSC. Officials believe this decision will only follow once the CDF notification is issued.
