Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir’s tenure will restart after his appointment as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), according to a bill presented in the National Assembly on Thursday. Speaking during the session, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the CDF’s term will be five years from the date of appointment. His remarks came after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif introduced the bill to amend the Army Act, which was passed along with amendments to the Navy and Air Force Acts following cabinet approval. The bill specifies that the COAS, who will concurrently serve as CDF under Article 243 of the Constitution, will have a tenure that “commences from the date of notification of the said office.” This means that once the notification of the first appointment as COAS and CDF is issued, the incumbent COAS’s tenure will be considered restarted from that date. The amendment also empowers the government to define the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the COAS and CDF, including oversight of multi-domain integration, necessary restructuring, and joint operations of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill states that the Prime Minister will appoint the Commander of the National Strategic Command from among Pakistan Army Generals, based on the recommendation of the COAS/CDF, for a three-year tenure. The terms and conditions of the Commander of the National Strategic Command shall also be determined by the prime minister, the bill mentions. The General appointed to the post may receive a three-year extension — as may be “determined by the prime minister, in the national security interest or exigencies, from time to time”. The appointment, reappointment, or extension of the Commander of the National Strategic Command, or the exercise of discretion by the appointing authority in this regard, shall not be called into question before any Court on any ground whatsoever, the bill reads.
COAS Asim Munir’s Tenure Resumes Following Appointment as Chief of Defence Forces
