New Delhi: In his maiden speech as the country’s supreme military commander, Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir said “the concept of Pakistan is invincible, protected by faith-filled warriors” and that India and Afghanistan have been given a “clear message”.
“India should not be a victim of any self-deception or assumption, next time Pakistan’s response will be even swifter and more severe. A clear message has been given to the Taliban regime that it has no choice but to choose between Fitna Al Khawarij (a term used for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban) and Pakistan,” CDF Asim Munir said in a speech at the newly-established Defence Forces Headquarters (DFHQ) Monday.
He then added: “Pakistan is a peace-loving country. However, no one will be allowed to threaten Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and test our resolve. Let all know that the concept of Pakistan is invincible and it is protected by the faith-filled warriors and the firm resolve of a united nation.”
After a week’s delay, CDF Asim Munir was formally appointed the country’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Friday, marking what most experts labelled as the most significant overhaul of Pakistan’s military command structure since the 1970s.
The overhaul was undertaken under the 27th Amendment of the Constitution which created a single office with centralised operational, administrative, and strategic authority.
The updated Article 243 on military powers states that the president, on the advice of the prime minister, will appoint the army chief, who will simultaneously serve as the CDF.
The amendment also eliminated the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), effectively dismantling the tri-service coordination system established in 1976 and shifting joint command responsibilities to the new CDF.
Moreover, to align the military’s legal framework with these constitutional changes, the government subsequently amended the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) of 1952, following the passage of the 27th Amendment.
Field Marshal Munir was appointed army chief on 29 November, 2022, becoming the 17th armyman to lead the Pakistan Army.
In November 2024, the government amended the Pakistan Army Act (PAA), increasing the tenures of the chiefs of the three armed services from three to five years, while keeping the CJCSC’s tenure at three years. These amendments also permitted the service chiefs to be reappointed or to have their tenures extended for up to five years, rather than the previous limit of three.
Now, the updated PAA provisions allow the president, acting on the prime minister’s advice, to reappoint the COAS-cum-CDF for an additional five years or extend his term by up to five years. This creates the legal possibility for him to remain in office until December 2035.
Upon his controversial appointment, Munir Friday was also given the guard of honour for his appointment in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of the Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force Zaheer Ahmad Babar. The press release said that the ceremony also included presentation of awards to those from Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force who were part of the May skirmish “to recognise their acts of valour during the war”.
According to ISPR, Munir then talked about the “necessity of a formalised arrangement for tri-services integration and synergy. He highlighted that the armed forces have to remain aligned with new realities of warfare which are now expanding to an exhaustive array of emerging technologies in cyber space, electro-magnetic spectrum, outer-space, Information Operations, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing.”
Speaking to the tri-forces at the GHQ, Munir hailed the move as “historic” and said, “The establishment of the Defence Forces Headquarters is an essential step towards this change.”
He then added: “Each service will maintain its individuality for its operational readiness, (while) the Defence Forces Headquarters will integrate and coordinate the operations of the services.”
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Asim Munir’s power is undisputed in Pakistan. Social media stories are just gossip