President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday assented to the summary to appoint Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country’s first chief of defence forces (CDF).

A press release has been issued from the presidency which said he also signed off on the two-year extension in the tenure of Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and extended his best wishes to the two for their successful tenures.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent the summary to the president.

The appointment will also see him serve as Chief of Army Staff for a five-year term. The federal government has confirmed that Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will simultaneously hold the positions of Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces.

This historic appointment, effective for a five-year term, makes him the first-ever CDF in Pakistan.

Alongside this, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a two-year extension for Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, to begin after completing his current five-year term in March 2026.

Appointment notification and legal clarity

Earlier, speculation about the CDF appointment had caused confusion. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar clarified that the notification will be issued soon, describing the delay as a “storm in a teacup.” He attributed the hold-up to the Prime Minister being out of the country.

According to Tarar, there is no legal ambiguity regarding the appointment under Article 243 or the Army, Navy, and Air Force laws. The law clearly stipulates that the President appoints the Chief on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Under 2024 amendments, the term of office for the Army Chief has been increased from three to five years, with a single notification now covering both the Army Chief and the Chief of Defence Forces. Instructions have already been shared with the Ministry of Defence.

During a joint press conference, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Information Minister Atta Tarar also addressed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s prison visits. They stressed that as a convicted criminal, Khan’s visits are strictly regulated under the existing prison manual.

Visits are limited to once a week, with a maximum of six people allowed under Rule 265. Prisoners are prohibited from holding political discussions or making public statements about the meetings.