Pakistan's CDF Command Enigma: Asim Munir's Dual Role Amid Notification Delay | Exclusive

Last Updated:November 29, 2025, 18:09 IST

Sources suggest that a formal command ceremony for the Chief of Defence Forces is likely next week, following the return of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from London

Field Marshal Asim Munir's authority is, on the surface, currently operating under the shadow of a missing gazette notification. File pic/AP

As Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah was due to officially conclude his original tenure as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on the night of November 29, CNN-News18 has learnt that a crucial ambiguity hangs over his constitutional status: the public notification for his concurrent, newly created position as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) is yet to be formally issued. This delay is the central point of uncertainty in Pakistan’s most significant military command overhaul in five decades.

The 27th Constitutional Amendment, recently ratified by the President, is the cornerstone of this transition, fundamentally restructuring the higher defence organisation. The amendment formally abolishes the post of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC)—a retirement that coincided with the departure of its last occupant, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, on November 27. In its place, the law creates the powerful, unified office of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), a position constitutionally mandated to be held concurrently by the serving COAS for a fixed five-year term. This new tenure effectively resets Munir’s clock, securing his position until at least 2030, a significant extension from his original retirement date.

Despite the constitutional protection afforded to the CDF position—with a five-year tenure and, notably, a constitutional immunity for the five-star rank—Field Marshal Asim Munir’s authority is, on the surface, currently operating under the shadow of a missing gazette notification.

According to the newly amended constitutional and military acts, the CDF position is legally secured for a five-year term from the date of his appointment notification. The 27th Amendment itself provides the framework for the current COAS to assume the CDF role simultaneously. The delay is widely attributed to legal or technical finalisation of the appointment details following the sweeping legislative changes, rather than a conditional status of the office itself. Sources within Pakistan’s Defence Ministry confirmed that the notification of the CDF has been completed internally and that its public announcement is imminent.

The 27th Amendment elevates the COAS to the apex of the military command structure, granting control over all three services and the Strategic Command. The delay, observers reiterated, is said to be a technicality impacting the formal, public start date of the new five-year clock, rather than a threat to the appointment itself.

The situation is expected to be resolved soon, with sources suggesting that a formal command ceremony for the Chief of Defence Forces is likely to take place next week, following the return of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from London. This event is anticipated to officially publicise the long-awaited notification, fully confirming Field Marshal Munir as the nation’s first dual-hatted CDF-COAS.

News world Pakistan's CDF Command Enigma: Asim Munir's Dual Role Amid Notification Delay | Exclusive

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