The Senate on Friday approved several bills, including three related to the armed forces, a day after the National Assembly passed them with a majority vote.
On Thursday evening, the Lower House of Parliament passed four bills to ensure laws related to the armed forces and the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 were consistent with the 27th Amendment to the Constitution.
In this regard, it passed The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2025, the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Addressing the National Assembly, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the term of the new post of Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) would begin from the date of his appointment. Under the amendments, the Army chief will concurrently serve as CDF for five years. Following its signing into law, the bill states that Field Marshal Asim Munir’s tenure will restart from the date the new notification is issued, effectively making him Army chief until 2030.
It states that Article 243 provisions applicable to a Field Marshal will also apply to a general promoted to the rank. It says the federal government may authorize the Vice Chief of Army Staff or Deputy Chief of Army Staff to exercise powers of the COAS, under written orders issued on the CDF’s recommendation.
The legislation further clarifies that once the first notification for the dual office is issued, the incumbent COAS’ tenure will be deemed to have recommenced from the date of that notification. The federal government will determine the duties and responsibilities of the CDF, including multi-domain integration, restructuring and ensuring collaboration across the armed forces.
A major structural change approved in the bill is the abolition of the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, replaced by the Commander of the National Strategic Command. The prime minister may appoint the commander from among serving Pakistan Army generals for a three-year term, on the CDF’s recommendation. The prime minister would set the terms and conditions of the appointment and may also grant a three-year extension in the interest of national security. The bill states that any appointment, reappointment or extension for the commander shall not be challenged before any court.
The Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2025 removes sections 10D, 10E and 10F of the Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953, omitting all references to the CJCSC. Similarly, the Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 deletes sections 14D, 14E and 14F concerning the appointment and tenure of the Naval Chief as CJCSC.
The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2025 states that every petition, appeal or review application before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of a bench constituted by the committee comprising the chief justice, the next most senior judge and a judge to be nominated by the chief justice.
It also says if a member is unable to attend committee meetings for any reason, the chief justice may nominate any other judge. The bill also provides omission of sections containing words “Constitutional Benches’ in the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023.
All amendments were earlier approved by the federal cabinet.