4 December 2024
PM has approved the summary for the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as Chief of Defense and extension of Chief of Air Force Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu for 2 years. Field Marshal Asim Munir will be the first Chief of Defense of Pakistan. He will hold the dual appointments of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defense (CDF). The tenure of the appointment will start after the formal approval by the President of Pakistan. The same rule will apply for the extension of the tenure of the Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force.
The Commander of the National Strategic Command will be appointed for a 3 year tenure, recommended by Chief of Army Staff and CDF. These appointments and the PM’s summary are in-line with the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2025 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The PM’s summary has been sent to President Asif Ali Zardari’s office and will be signed in due time.
The need to appoint a CDF arose after India- Pakistan clashes of May 2025. It was a glimpse of modern warfare penetrating into the Sub -continent. Pakistan’s downing of advanced Indian jets including Su-30 MKI, Rafale and MiG -29 with a combination of sophisticated electronic warfare suits and BVRAAMs of Chinese and Turkish origin marked a significant milestone in the beginning of a new generation of warfare in the sub-continent. India initiated a long-range vectors (LRVs) plan against Pakistan similar to Isreal- Iran conflict. Unlike the Israel- Iran conflict which was one sided, Pakistan-India conflict was between two technologically sophisticated and modern militaries and Air Forces. Significant changes are underway in both countries with India and Pakistan focusing on enhancing capabilities of their militaries, raising new forces and readying for future stand- offs.