According to a report by Dawn, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir is expected to take on the newly proposed position of Chief of Defence Forces under the country’s 27th Constitutional Amendment. His promotion comes shortly after being elevated to the rank of Field Marshal by the Pakistani government, following the recent India-Pakistan conflict in May.
The confrontation concluded when Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted his Indian counterpart, requesting a cessation of hostilities after Indian forces targeted and severely damaged multiple Pakistani airbases, radar systems, command centres, runways, hangars, and surface-to-air missile (SAM) installations, among other key military assets.
The Pakistan federal cabinet approved the draft amendment, which was later tabled in the Senate on Saturday and referred to the National Assembly and Senate standing committees on law and justice for joint review, Dawn reported.
During discussions, according to Dawn, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) would be abolished from November 27, once the current incumbent’s term ends.
Pakistan’s General Sahir Shamshad Mirza currently holds the office. During his clarification, Tarar referred to Mirza as a “hero” and stated that “Parliament cannot even consider depriving him of the role during his tenure.”
“It will be abolished after his appointment ends,” Tarar said.
He also stated that no new appointments would be made to the position since the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) would assume the role of Chief of Defence Forces, thereby consolidating the top command structure under Munir’s leadership, Dawn added.
The law minister further explained that the bill also formally acknowledges General Munir’s title of Field Marshal, describing it as “a title, not a rank, not an appointment as such.” He noted that the title is honorary and for life, similar to distinctions like Marshal of the Air Force or Admiral of the Fleet in other countries.
“Where the federal government promotes a member of the armed forces to the rank of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force or Admiral of the Fleet, such officer shall retain the rank, privileges and remain in uniform for life,” the minister added while reading from the bill.
He further said that it was made clear that only Parliament, not the Prime Minister, would have the power to revoke or cancel the title.
According to the Dawn report quoting the law minister, the Prime Minister would not have the authority to revoke or cancel the title of Field Marshal; that power would rest solely with the Pakistani Parliament.
The proposed amendment has also provoked a political debate.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said it supports amendments to Article 243 related to the armed forces but opposes any rollback of provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have also criticised the bill, with PTI calling it an “attack on Parliament”, Dawn reported.
As per Dawn’s report, the joint law committees of both Houses are set to reconvene on Sunday to continue deliberations on the proposed amendment.
With inputs from ANI
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
