Parliament passes bills related to military, National Command Authority

• Lawmakers approve both measures through majority voting.
• Federal cabinet has earlier approved the draft bills.
• Legislation follows changes under 27th constitutional amendment.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly and Senate on Thursday passed two bills by majority vote related to the military and nuclear command structure.

The first bill was passed to enact the Defence Forces Act, 2026, while the second bill was passed to amend the National Command Authority Act, 2010.

The bills had first been approved by the National Assembly by majority vote and later on by the Senate.

Moments before, the federal cabinet endorsed the draft legislation during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The cabinet had approved the defence forces legislation to establish the required legal and administrative framework for the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters. It had also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010.

The legislation is aimed at giving effect to changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by parliament in November last year and brought significant changes to the country's judicial structure and military command system.

The constitutional amendment abolished the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and created the new position of Chief of Defence Forces.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir subsequently became the country's first Chief of Defence Forces.

The constitutional changes also provided for the creation of the National Strategic Command, headed by a four-star officer and tasked with overseeing the operational integration of Pakistan's strategic forces.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promoted Gen Raza, then serving as Chief of the General Staff, from lieutenant general to four-star general and appointed him to head the newly created command.