Field Marshal Asim Munir Appointed as Pakistan's First Chief of Defence Forces with Nuclear Authority

The Shehbaz Sharif administration has officially designated Field Marshal Asim Munir as Pakistan's inaugural Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), a newly established and influential military position in the nuclear-armed nation. This appointment, which positions Munir at the leadership of all three service branches, extends for a five-year term.

According to an announcement from the Pakistan President's office via their X platform, President Asif Ali Zardari endorsed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recommendation appointing Munir as both Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

"President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years," stated the official X account of Pakistan's President.

The CDF role consolidates authority across all three military branches (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and grants oversight of the National Strategic Command, which oversees the country's nuclear weapons and missile systems, establishing Munir as Pakistan's most powerful military figure.

These changes also provided Munir with legal protection equivalent to the country's president. Like the president, the field marshal will receive lifetime immunity from legal prosecution. This protection has been extended to the air force and navy chiefs as well.

Should Munir express interest in reappointment to the prime minister and president after his term concludes, it seems unlikely they would refuse, given the extensive power already granted to him.

The amendments further diminish governmental oversight of the military. Pakistani media reports indicate the CDF now has authority to recommend appointments for Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), which the federal government will then authorize. Previously, the civilian government held this executive prerogative.

As a nuclear power with a population of 240 million, Pakistan has alternated between civilian and military governance since its establishment in 1947. The most recent military leader to openly rule the country was Pervez Musharraf, who assumed power through a 1999 coup and served as president until 2008.

Since then, civilian administrations have officially governed. However, the military's influence across Pakistan's political and economic domains remains deeply embedded, with political analysts describing it as a "hybrid rule" shared between civilian and military powers.

This appointment follows extensive speculation regarding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's willingness to delegate additional authority to Asim Munir. The Sharif government was expected to announce the country's first Chief of Defence Forces on November 29, when Munir's three-year term as army chief was scheduled to conclude.

The Chief of Defence Forces position was established last month through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, aiming to centralize military command. This new role replaces the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), which has been eliminated.

Asim Munir, who was elevated to Field Marshal rank this year, will simultaneously hold the offices of Chief of Army Staff and CDF, making him one of Pakistan's most powerful figures in decades.

He becomes the first military officer in Pakistan's history to hold both the five-star Field Marshal rank and the combined COAS and CDF command simultaneously. Munir is only the second army officer in the country's history to attain the Field Marshal title after General Ayub Khan, who led Pakistan during the 1965 conflict with India.