Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Sunday said the notification of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) appointment will be issued once Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns to the country.In a post on X, the minister dismissed what he described as “unnecessary and irresponsible speculation,” stating that the process for the appointment had already been initiated. “PM is returning shortly. Notification will be issued in due course of time. No room for any conjecturing. Period!” he remarked. The CDF post was created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, replacing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which was formally abolished on November 27. Observers had anticipated the appointment notification to be issued concurrently with the abolition of the CJCSC office. Additionally, November 29 carried particular significance as it marked the expiry of the original three-year tenure of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir. However, Asif’s statement came as November 29 passed without any formal notification, leaving the country’s first CDF appointment pending until the prime minister’s return.
Notification on Defence Chief Appointment Awaited Until PM Returns: Asif
