Lawmakers endorse legislation aimed at aligning defence institutions with recent constitutional changes
Saifullah Ansar/DNA
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed by majority vote the Defence Forces Act 2026, and the National Command Authority (Amendment) Bill, following their approval by the federal cabinet earlier.
The bills were approved by the cabinet during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where the government endorsed draft legislation aimed at implementing legal and administrative changes arising from the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The cabinet approved the draft Defence Forces Act 2026, which seeks to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework concerning the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters.
In the same meeting, the federal cabinet also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010.
The draft and amended National Command Authority Act was subsequently brought before the National Assembly for consideration and was approved through a majority vote.
The 27th Amendment, which was passed in November last year, brought changes to the judicial structure and military command, resulting in the abolition of the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating the new position of chief of defence forces.
Following the constitutional changes, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir became the country’s first chief of defence forces.
The Commander of the National Strategic Command post was also created, a four-star office that oversees the operational integration of Pakistan’s strategic forces.
PM Shehbaz had promoted Gen Raza — who was previously serving as the Chief of the General Staff — from the Lieutenant General’s rank to the rank of “Four-Star General” and simultaneously appointed him to the coveted post. The government and the opposition have been at odds since the 2024 elections, after which the PTI had demanded a judicial commission to probe May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 protests.
The 2023 protests were held across the country after PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested and the 2024 demonstration in Islamabad was held to demand his release. Both protests had turned violent.
The scope of sticking points between the two sides has widened in the following period, including PTI founder Imran Khan’s health.
However, the government, including the prime minister, has repeatedly urged the PTI-led opposition to engage in dialogue.
PM Shehbaz’s invite for the talks today is the latest one, and it came merely days after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the opposition during a Senate session that the government’s offer for dialogue remained on the table.
The minister said, “The solution lies in seriousness,” and called on the opposition to agree on a time and venue for negotiations.
The same day, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Chaudhry met the opposition leader in the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and the leader of the opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, in the NA opposition leader’s chamber.
The two sides discussed the appointment of the chief election commissioner, the country’s political situation and mutual political matters, according to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP).
The two sides agreed to continue the meetings, the spokesperson said.
Later, Chaudhry said while speaking on show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ that Achakzai had written a letter to the prime minister seeking a “constitutional consultative meeting”. The parliamentary affairs minister expected that the prime minister would respond in the “next two days”.
