As of 1 December, the government has still not issued the notification for Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) — a new post created after the abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
The office of CJCSC officially ended on 27 November, and 29 November was widely viewed as the key date for the new notification because it marked the end of the original three-year tenure of the Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Why the Confusion pakistan army chief notification?
Legal experts are divided:
-
Some argue the Army Chief’s original tenure technically ended on Nov 29.
-
Others say the 2024 Pakistan Army Act amendment, which extended all service chiefs’ tenures to five years, already covers the COAS — meaning no fresh notification is needed.
The 2024 amendment includes a “deeming clause”, making the five-year term legally continuous and removing the need for a new COAS notification.
But the CDF Post STILL Needs a Notification
Security and legal officials agree that the CDF is a new office, not a continuation.
Therefore, a separate and public notification is mandatory to officially assign the role to Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Unlike the quiet extensions given to the Air Chief and ISI DG, this notification cannot be avoided.
Why is the Government Delaying It?
According to senior officials, the delay reflects unresolved internal debates, mainly over:
-
Which date will count as the official start of the five-year tenure?
-
November 2022 (when Asim Munir became COAS)
-
or November 2025 (as widely speculated after new amendments)
-
-
How much operational authority the new CDF will have over the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force.
More Delays Ahead
Another major appointment — the new National Strategic Command (NSC) Commander, a four-star post responsible for nuclear command — is also on hold until the CDF notification is issued.
At the same time, the NCA Act must be amended to reflect the removal of the CJCSC and creation of the CDF and NSC commander — a complex task that may take weeks.
For now, the absence of the notification has embarrassed the top leadership, disrupted the transition to the new defence structure, and raised concerns about administrative mismanagement.
Source News: Dawn
