Field Marshal Asim Munir's COAS tenure set to restart after appointment as CDF 

Islamabad (Web Desk): Following his elevation as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Asim Munir, who currently serves as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), will have his tenure effectively reset, according to a bill presented in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif introduced the legislation to amend the Army Act, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified on the Assembly floor that the CDF’s term will be five years from the date of appointment.

These remarks came as the National Assembly approved amendments to the Army, Navy, and Air Force Acts after receiving cabinet endorsement.

The bill states that when the COAS simultaneously holds the position of CDF under Article 243 of the Constitution, “the tenure under this section shall commence from the date of notification of the said office.”

This provision effectively means that the current COAS’s term will be considered restarted from the date the first official notification of his CDF appointment is issued.

The legislation empowers the government to define the roles, responsibilities, and functions of both the COAS and CDF, including matters related to multi-domain integration, structural reforms, and achieving optimal coordination across the Armed Forces.

The bill further provides that the Prime Minister will appoint the Commander of the National Strategic Command from among the Generals of the Pakistan Army, based on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF, for a tenure of three years.

The prime minister will also set the terms and conditions of this position, with the option to grant a three-year extension if deemed necessary for national security or other urgent requirements.

It is also specified that any appointment, reappointment, or extension of the Commander of the National Strategic Command, along with the discretionary powers exercised by the appointing authority, cannot be challenged in any court under any circumstances.