Following his appointment as the country’s first chief of defence forces, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday was presented with a guard of honour at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of the Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force Zaheer Ahmad Babar were also present at the ceremony.
On Friday, the army chief was notified as the country’s first CDF, in what was considered the most sweeping restructuring of the military command since the 1970s.
The new arrangement consolidates operational, administrative and strategic authority in a single office established through amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution under the 27th Amendment.
The amendment also abolished the office of chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC), dismantling the tri-service coordination system in place since 1976 and transferring joint command integration to the CDF.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated Field Marshal Munir on his “historic” appointment, lauding him for “bold and courageous leadership” during Pakistan’s four-day military standoff with India in May.
Following the conflict, the army chief was elevated to the rank of field marshal for his leadership of the armed forces during the period. Field Marshal Munir was appointed army chief on Nov 29, 2022, becoming the 17th army chief to assume the command of the Pakistan Army.
