Government Approves Defense Forces Act 2026, Giving CDF Asim Munir Single Command Over Armed Forces

The federal cabinet and parliament have approved the Defense Forces Act 2026, that bring the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single operational command led by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Changes to the National Command Authority Act 2010 have also been approved.

The federal cabinet of Pakistan, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved two major legal drafts before Defense Minister Khawaja Asif presented them in Parliament:

• The Defense Forces Act 2026
• Changes to the National Command Authority Act 2010

Both bills were quickly passed on Thursday by the National Assembly and the Senate.

These new laws give legal backing to changes made under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which created the role of Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and the CDF Headquarters, and removed the old Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee position. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir holds both roles of Chief of Army Staff and CDF.

What Changes Under the New Laws?

• Single Military Command: Pakistan’s Army, Navy, and Air Force are now officially under one central setup called the Defense Forces Headquarters (DFHQ).
• Operational Power: As CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir gets full operational command over all three branches of the military.
• Hiring and Retirement Powers: The law gives the CDF authority over military personnel matters, including the power to hire, fire, retire, discharge, or extend the service of officers across the three services.
• Advisor to Prime Minister: The CDF will act as the Prime Minister’s principal military advisor on national security and defense.
• Nuclear Command Updates: The National Command Authority Act 2010 was updated to reflect the new structure controlling the country’s nuclear assets. The post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has been replaced, and operational control of strategic forces now falls under the newly created Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC), a four-star post currently held by Gen. Syed Aamer Raza.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said these steps complete the reorganization of the country’s military command structure.

Opposition parties strongly protested the rush, leading to a walkout during the voting process.