President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the summary for the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
According to the official notification issued by the President’s Secretariat, “President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the summary submitted by the Prime Minister for the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir NI(M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff, concurrently as Chief of Defence Forces for a period of five years.
He has also approved a two-year extension in the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu NI(M), HJ, Chief of Air Staff, to take effect from the completion of his present tenure on 19 March 2026.
The President extended his best wishes to the COAS, concurrently the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Air Staff for their successful tenures.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the summary for the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as both the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). The approved summary has been forwarded to the Presidency.
Under the new arrangement, Field Marshal Asim Munir will simultaneously serve as Army Chief and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a tenure of five years. His appointment marks the first time Pakistan is formally establishing the post of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
