Islamabad: Pakistan has appointed Field Marshal Asim Munir as the country’s first Chief of Defense Staff (CDF), a development widely seen as reshaping the nation’s military command structure and elevating Munir to the most powerful uniformed position in Pakistan’s history. President Asif Ali Zardari approved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recommendation, formally placing Munir at the helm of the newly created defense leadership post.
The CDF role established to strengthen coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force marks a significant reorganization of Pakistan’s military framework. Asim Munir will serve a five-year term, during which he will oversee integrated defense planning, inter-service synergy, and strategic command functions previously distributed across multiple offices.
This major structural overhaul follows the abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), a post traditionally responsible for tri-service oversight. The CJCSC role was dissolved last month, paving the way for the creation of the CDF position through the 27th Division notification passed during Parliament’s November session.
The appointment comes only months after Munir’s elevation to the rank of Field Marshal, further consolidating his influence within Pakistan’s military establishment. Alongside this decision, President Zardari also approved a two-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, ensuring continuity in the Air Force’s leadership.
With the introduction of the CDF system, Pakistan signals a shift toward a more centralized and unified defense command placing Asim Munir at the core of its security apparatus at a time of regional volatility and evolving strategic challenges.