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Pakistani army chief Asim Munir assumes additional role as chief of defense forces

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 29 November 2025 11:52 AM

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has officially taken over as the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) alongside his existing role as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), marking the first time in the country's history that a single officer holds both positions.

The unified title will now be used across all official documents, military communications, and media references, according to Pakistani media, citing the military authorities.

This follows President Asif Ali Zardari's approval on November 15 of the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy Amendment Bills 2025, which were recently passed by parliament.

The 27th Amendment brings a major structural shift by doing away with the post of chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and replacing it with the commander of the National Strategic Command.

General (retd) Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who retired this week, was the last to hold the CJCSC position.

Under the revised Army Act, the army chief will also serve as Chief of the Defense Forces for a five-year term. The issuance of the new notification places Munir at the helm of the three services - the army, air force and navy - for a fixed five-year term.

Among the CDF's key duties are multi-domain integration, restructuring, and creating stronger jointness across Pakistan's armed forces.

Munir was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in late May, in recognition of his leadership during the war with arch-foe India. He became only the second person in Pakistan's history, after Ayub Khan, to attain this rank and the first to serve simultaneously as Chief of Army Staff.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and its neighbors, India and Afghanistan. Islamabad and New Delhi remain at odds over border disputes and recent military confrontations, while relations with Kabul have deteriorated amid escalating clashes along the largely porous Durand Line.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) head Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Saturday accused Afghan forces of opening fire at Pakistani checkposts across the border.

Meanwhile, relations between Islamabad and Tehran continue to improve, as reflected by recent high-level meetings between senior officials of the two countries.

On Wednesday, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani met, among others, with Munir to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional security developments.

Earlier in November, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also held talks with the top Pakistani military commander, further underscoring the ongoing diplomatic and security dialogue between the two countries.

On the home turf, however, the armed forces have faced intense scrutiny over the imprisonment of former prime minister, Imran Khan, who is serving a 14-year sentence in a land graft case.

Munir became the chief of army staff in November 2022, months after the cricketer-turned-politician was removed from office through a no-confidence vote.