Pakistan cabinet approves law for new unified military command

The Pakistani federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved the Defense Forces Act 2026 and amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010. These legislative measures aim to provide the legal and administrative framework for the newly created office of the Chief of Defense Forces and its headquarters.

The move follows the 27th Constitutional Amendment passed in November 2025, which altered Article 243 of the constitution. These changes abolished the role of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and established the Chief of Defense Forces to centralize operational planning, modernization, and war-fighting doctrine across land, air, maritime, cyber, and space domains. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir assumed this role in December 2025 while simultaneously serving as Chief of Army Staff.

The approved draft legislation will be presented to parliament for formal approval during its current session. Additionally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has indicated it will support the government on key upcoming legislation in the National Assembly.