Rawalpindi (TDI): Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir received a ceremonial guard of honour at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Contingents from all three services, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, and Pakistan Air Force, participated in the ceremony marking his formal assumption of the newly created CDF role.
The event was attended by Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and senior military leadership from the tri-services.
The Ministry of Defense had issued the official notification for Asim Munir’s appointment last Friday, a day after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the decision on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Field Marshal Munir, who was elevated to Pakistan’s second-ever Field Marshal rank earlier this year following the country’s victory in the May conflict with India, will serve simultaneously as COAS for five years.
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The creation of the CDF post stems from amendments to the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy Acts of 2025, signed by the president on November 15. Under these amendments, Article 243, outlining powers and responsibilities of a Field Marshal, extends to any general promoted to the rank.
Commissioned in the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment in 1986, Asim Munir graduated from the 17th Officers Training Course at Mangla. Over nearly four decades, he has held key operational, command, and intelligence roles.
His career includes service as Directing Staff at Command and Staff College, Quetta, Brigade Major of an infantry brigade in Kel, GSO-2 at the CGS Secretariat, Chief of Staff, Mangla Corps, Commander of 23rd FF Regiment and an infantry brigade, and Force Commander Northern Areas (Gilgit).
He has headed both premier intelligence agencies, Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). After ISI, he served as Corps Commander Gujranwala and later as Quartermaster General before assuming command as COAS.
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Field Marshal Munir is a graduate of Fuji School (Japan), Command & Staff College Quetta, Malaysian Armed Forces College Kuala Lumpur, and the National Defence University, Islamabad. He holds an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from NDU. He is also the first Pakistani army chief to be awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour.
