Islamabad, November 14, 2025: The Senate on Friday swiftly approved four significant bills tied to the recently enacted 27th Constitutional Amendment, including legislation that restructures Pakistan’s military command system and resets the tenure of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir following his elevation as Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF).
The bills, passed without debate and with minimal opposition, were approved just a day after their hurried passage in the National Assembly.
The Senate passed the following four bills in quick succession:
- Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2025
- Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill 2025
- Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill 2025
- Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar presented the army and air force amendment bills on behalf of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who later joined the session to table the navy amendment bill. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry introduced the Supreme Court amendment bill on behalf of Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.
Dar told senators that the proposed laws were necessary to harmonise existing statutes with the 27th Amendment, which came into effect on Thursday.
Amendment sparks debate nationwide
The 27th Amendment — which establishes a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and overhauls the military’s top command designations — has drawn strong criticism from the opposition. Former judges, sitting jurists, and bar associations have also raised concerns, particularly over the amendment’s impact on Supreme Court authority and judicial independence.
Despite this, the Senate witnessed little pushback during Friday’s proceedings as the government pushed the legislation through.
Key Changes Proposed in the Military Laws
- Redefining Top Military Offices
- The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill replaces, “Chief of the Army Staff” with “Chief of the Defence Forces” (CDF), “Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC)” with “Commander of the National Strategic Command”
An amendment to Section 8A of the Pakistan Army Act stipulates that the first CDF’s tenure — currently held concurrently by Field Marshal Asim Munir as COAS — will begin from the date of notification of his appointment under the 27th Amendment.
This effectively resets his five-year term from the date he was formally notified as chief of the defence forces.
The new structure grants the prime minister authority to,
- Appoint a Commander of the National Strategic Command from among serving army generals on the recommendation of the CDF, for a three-year term
- Reappoint or extend the commander’s tenure by up to three additional years
The bill further bars courts from challenging the appointment, reappointment, or extension “on any ground whatsoever.”
The federal government may authorise the vice chief or deputy chief of the army staff — on the CDF’s recommendation — to exercise specified powers of the army chief under various laws and regulations.
The Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy laws have also been amended to remove references to the CJCSC, aligning their command structures with the new defence framework.
The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025 eliminates the Constitutional Bench created under the 26th Amendment, marking a substantial shift in how constitutional matters will be handled following the establishment of the new FCC.
