DM Monitoring
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has dismissed reports claiming Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif was stopping the issuance of the notification for the appointment of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
Speaking to media on Monday, Sanaullah said that Nawaz has never expressed such thoughts about the CDF.
“His statements are being unnecessarily linked to this matter. His remarks were made in another context, and the background of what he said that day was different,” he added.
The PML-N leader revealed that all constitutional amendments were approved with Nawaz’s consent as the party president.
Sanaullah said that a new CDF institution was to be established, adding that it would “be a very important” institution.
He added that the notification would be issued at the appropriate time once the prime minister returns to the country. “After the Constitution comes the law, and after the law, the rules are framed. All of these things must be done with caution.”
He added that the tenure of the CDF will commence on the day the notification is issued, with a term of five years.
Sanaullah criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for resorting to “threats and protests”, saying that the party could have handled its matters in a better way.
“Their delegation came to the speaker, and I was also present there. We told them to let the prime minister arrive first, and then we would present the issue to him. The PTI delegation had just left when the chief minister’s threat came,” he added.
‘CDF notification ancillary matter’
Separately, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar dismissed the speculation about obstacles in the issuance of the notification for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir’s appointment as the CDF.
“I think we do not have any real news these days. Unnecessary rumours are being spread for no reason,” he told media outside the parliament house in Islamabad.
The law minister said that Field Marshal Munir’s tenure was “already protected” after the previous legislation, which extended his tenure to November 2027.
“The new amendment has introduced some ancillary legislation. The notification for his appointment to the unified post [COAS-CDF] will come,” he said, adding that such delays would not create “disconnect or legal complications”.
The law minister said that the Ministry of Defence would move forward on the matter after prime minister returns to the country.
The clarifications about the notification comes just a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the announcement about the appointment of the CDF will be made in due course.
“There is unnecessary and irresponsible speculation about CDF notification. Please be informed that the process has been initiated. PM is returning shortly,” Asif wrote in a post on X.
Field Marshal Munir, who is currently serving as the army, will also be appointed as the CDF — the post created after the abolishment of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in the amended Army Act, following the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The government will determine the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the COAS and CDF, including but not limited to his functions and responsibilities regarding multi-domain integration, necessary restructuring, and optimum jointness of the Armed Forces.
