27th Amendment abolishes CJCSC office, designates Army Chief as Defence Forces Chief

ISLAMABAD   (   WEB  NEWS   )

Major constitutional reforms have been proposed under the draft 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, aimed at restructuring the command hierarchy of Pakistan’s Armed Forces. The federal cabinet approved the proposed amendment on Saturday.

According to the proposed changes to Article 243 of the Constitution, the President of Pakistan, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, will appoint the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), who will also concurrently hold the new title of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

The President will likewise appoint the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff on the Prime Minister’s advice.

The draft amendment further proposes to abolish the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) effective November 27, 2025. This change would effectively centralise the military command under the newly created position of Chief of Defence Forces.

Under the new framework, the Commander of the National Strategic Command will be appointed by the Prime Minister, based on the recommendation of the Chief of Defence Forces.

The amendment also proposes provisions for lifetime ranks within the armed forces. Officers promoted to the rank of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, or Admiral of the Fleet will retain their uniform, privileges, and status for life.

These officers will be recognised as national heroes and can only be removed through the procedure laid down in Article 47 of the Constitution.

Additionally, Article 248 — which grants immunity to the President of Pakistan — will also apply to those holding the ranks of Field Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, and Admiral of the Fleet.

The Federal Government will define the roles, privileges, and entitlements of these officers in the national interest, according to the draft.

A brief session of the federal cabinet was held in Islamabad, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif via video link from Baku,  Azerbaijan, where he is on an official visit along with Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan briefed the cabinet on the proposed amendment, while the session also reviewed the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) recommendations regarding the constitutional changes.

After considering the recommendations, the federal cabinet gave its formal approval to the 27th Amendment.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Friday but was postponed after the PPP — a key coalition partner — objected to several major proposals included in the amendment package.

Key features of the 27th Constitutional Amendment have also emerged, revealing the government’s plan to establish a Constitutional Court to exclusively deal with constitutional matters.

Creation of New Defence Post

The 27th Constitutional Amendment proposes the creation of a new post — Commander of Defence Forces — under an amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution.

The position would define the tenure and responsibilities aimed at ensuring greater coordination and unified command among Pakistan’s three armed forces.

Formation of Constitutional Court

According to official sources, the Constitutional Court will initially comprise seven judges with a retirement age of 68 years, three years higher than that of Supreme Court judges.
Out of these seven, five judges will be selected from the existing Supreme Court bench, while a few High Court judges are also under consideration for appointment.

Justice Aminuddin Khan Likely to Lead

Sources indicated that Justice Aminuddin Khan is likely to be appointed as the head of the new Constitutional Court.
The formation of the court aims to ensure speedy adjudication of constitutional disputes and reduce the burden on the Supreme Court.

Court Location Under Discussion

Discussions are ongoing about the location of the new court. Two options are under consideration:

• Setting it up in the Islamabad High Court building, with the High Court possibly being relocated to its former site in Sector G-9, or
• Housing it in the Federal Shariat Court building, in which case the Federal Service Tribunal would be shifted to the first floor of that facility.