Asim Munir
The vote, held amid a ruckus in the lower house, saw 234 lawmakers in favour and only four against, speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced. The session was attended by top political leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
Earlier reporting noted: The comment comes after Sharif’s government failed to issue the required notification appointing Munir as the first-ever CDF by the November 29 deadline—the day his original three-year term as army chief ended.
PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan called it the “Baku Amendments” and accused the government of undermining democracy. Earlier reporting noted: Author and National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) member Tilak Devasher claimed that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is “intentionally” staying out of the country to avoid being present when the notification would be issued for the appointment of the first-ever Chief of Defence Forces (CDF). He seems to believe that by staying away and avoiding signing the notification, he can escape the consequences,” said Devasher, author of four books on Pakistan.
The ruling coalition, including PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, and allies, backed the amendment. Opposition lawmakers condemned it as unconstitutional. Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP protested by tearing a copy of the bill in the house. He clearly does not want to issue the notification giving Asim Munir five years as army chief and as Chief of Defence Forces.
Earlier reporting noted: “Very smartly, the Pakistan PM went to Bahrain and then to London.
The reform “aims to bring constitutional oversight to defence appointments while preserving military honour and tradition, according to the country’s law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the passage as a demonstration of national unity, saying the house exhibited solidarity. He also condemned a recent terrorist incident in Wana, drawing parallels to the Army Public School massacre, and praised law enforcement for securing the safety of students and cadets. The amendment elevates Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to the newly created role of Chief of Defence Forces, giving him constitutional authority over all three branches: army, navy, and air force. Honorary five-star ranks such as field marshal, marshal of the air force, and admiral of the fleet remain lifetime titles.
