- NA passes bills to harmonise legal framework for armed forces.
- COAS to concurrently serve as Chief of Defence Forces for five years.
- CDF’s term to begin from date of his appointment, says law minister.
The federal government is expected to present bills, three of them related to the armed forces, in the Senate today (Friday) a day after the National Assembly passed them with a majority vote.
The lower house of parliament on Thursday passed four bills to make Acts relating to armed forces and the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 consistent with the 27th Amendment to the Constitution.
The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2025, the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2025 were passed after introducing the same supplementary agenda.
The bills redefine institutional roles and bring multiple laws in line with the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Central to these changes is the recommencement of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir’s five-year tenure under the newly created office of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
Speaking during the National Assembly session after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif tabled the bill, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the CDF’s term would begin from the date of his appointment.
Under the amendments, the COAS will concurrently serve as Chief of the Defence Forces for five years. Field Marshal Munir’s tenure will restart from the date the new notification is issued.
Article 243 provisions applicable to a Field Marshal will also apply to a General promoted to the rank. The federal government may authorise the Vice Chief of Army Staff or Deputy Chief of Army Staff to exercise powers of the COAS, under written orders issued on the CDF’s recommendation.
The legislation further clarifies that once the first notification for the dual office is issued, the incumbent COAS’ tenure will be deemed to have recommenced from the date of that notification.
The federal government will determine the duties and responsibilities of the CDF, including multi-domain integration, restructuring and ensuring jointness across the armed forces.
A major structural change approved in the bill is the abolition of the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), to be replaced by the Commander of the National Strategic Command. The prime minister may appoint the commander from among serving Pakistan Army generals for a three-year term, on the COAS/CDF’s recommendation.
The terms and conditions of the appointment will be set by the prime minister, who may also grant a three-year extension in the national security interest. The bill states that any appointment, reappointment or extension for the Commander shall not be challenged before any court.
The Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2025 removes sections 10D, 10E and 10F of the Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953, which previously dealt with the appointment of the PAF chief as CJCSC, his tenure, extension and retirement. All references to the CJCSC have been omitted across the Act. Similarly, the Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 deletes sections 14D, 14E and 14F concerning the appointment and tenure of the Naval Chief as CJCSC, also removing the term from other provisions of the law.
Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill
The lower louse also passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2025 which provides that every petition, appeal or review application before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of a bench constituted by the committee comprising the chief justice, the next most senior judge in order of seniority and a judge to be nominated by the chief justice.
It also says if a member for any reason is unable to attend committee meeting, the chief justice may nominate any other judge. The bill also provides omission of sections containing words “Constitutional Benches’ in the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 (XVII of 2023).
Earlier, a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the amendments to the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy Acts.
The changes aim to align defence legislation with Article 243. The cabinet also endorsed the creation of the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the eventual abolition of the CJCSC post after the retirement of the incumbent. The amendments additionally introduce honorary ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force and Admiral of the Fleet to reflect contemporary military structures.
The cabinet further approved the draft Federal Constitutional Court (Procedure and Practice) Act, 2025, intended to define procedures for the proposed judicial body.
