Asim Munir Finally Becomes Pakistan’s First Ever Chief Of Defence Forces – What Changes Now | World News

Islamabad: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has officially appointed Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country’s first chief of defense forces (CDF) for a five-year term. Munir will also continue to serve as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), cementing his role at the helm of the country’s armed forces.

“President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently with the CDF for a period of 5 years,” the announcement made public through the official X account of the President of Pakistan said. The statement was confirmed.

President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS and concurrent appointment as CDF and extension of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu for 2 years from 19 March 2026. The President expressed his best wishes to both. pic.twitter.com/RrIJNCC7I5— President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) December 4, 2025

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommended Munir’s appointment to both posts, ending months of speculation about whether the civilian leadership would fully support this unprecedented consolidation of military authority. The official notification was long delayed as Munir’s three-year term as Army Commander ended on 29 November.

The position of chief of defense forces was only determined last month by the 27th Amendment to the Pakistan Constitution, which aims to centralize military command under a single authority.

In addition, President Zardari further stabilized Pakistan’s top military leadership by approving the extension of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu’s tenure by two years from March 19, 2026. He conveyed the President’s best wishes to the civil servants for their continued service in both appointments.

Munir’s promotion to field marshal this year makes him the second officer in Pakistan’s history to hold this prestigious rank, after General Ayub Khan, who led the country in the 1965 war with India.

The delayed notification had fueled intense speculation in defense and political circles. Tilak Devasher, a former member of India’s National Security Advisory Board, told ANI that the prime minister’s absence in the country seems strategic.

“The Prime Minister of Pakistan made a very smart move and went to Bahrain and from there he went to London,” said Devasher, adding: “He deliberately stays out of this business because he does not want to openly publish the communiqué that will inform Asim Münir that he will serve as the Chief of General Staff and Chief of General Staff for five years. He thinks that he can avoid the consequences by staying away from Pakistan and not signing the communiqué.”

Devasher also pointed out the constitutional and operational gaps created by the delay. “All in all, this is a very complicated situation. If the fact remains that Asim Munir is no longer the Chief of Army Staff, then we have a situation where Pakistan does not have a Chief of Defense Staff and does not even have the nuclear command authority that should be under the new post of strategic forces commander. So the situation that Pakistan is in right now is extremely strange.”

Upon completion of the formal appointment, Munir steps into a dual role that not only consolidates his authority over the Pakistani military but also places him at the center of strategic decision-making for the next five years.