Federal Cabinet Approves Defence Forces Act 2026 Amendments

The federal cabinet has approved amendments to the Defence Forces Act 2026 and the National Command Authority Act 2010, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The decisions were taken during a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.

The draft Defence Forces Act 2026 has been prepared in line with the changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish and clarify administrative matters relating to the office of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters.

Following approval by the federal cabinet, the draft Defence Forces Act 2026 will be presented before Parliament for consideration and approval during its ongoing session.

The cabinet also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the amendments have been proposed in light of changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

The amended National Command Authority Act will also be placed before Parliament for approval.

The 27th Constitutional Amendment introduced significant changes to Pakistan’s military command structure, including the creation of the Chief of Defence Forces position.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who serves as Chief of Army Staff, was appointed as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces on December 4, 2025, making the position a dual-hatted role.

The proposed legislation will now move to Parliament, where the amendments will undergo the parliamentary approval process.