DID Press: Pakistan has significantly restructured its military leadership, promoting its army commander to the newly created position of Chief of Defense Forces, with authority over both conventional troops and nuclear weapons. The reform is meant to streamline strategic decision-making and centralize military power.
The post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has been scrapped, according to a report by The Diplomat. The Chief of Defense Forces will now oversee war planning, operations, force development, and advise the prime minister directly.
A National Strategic Command has been formed to unify all nuclear assets under a single command. In addition, a Rocket Force Command has been created to manage long-range precision strike capabilities.
Strategic planning responsibilities have been realigned: previously handled by separate headquarters for the army, navy, and air force, these now report directly to the Chief of Defense Forces. While the navy and air force maintain administrative and training duties, their role in strategic decision-making has been reduced.
The changes come amid ongoing regional and internal security pressures, including border tensions with India, drone and air operations in Afghanistan, counterinsurgency campaigns in Balochistan, and growing militant threats.
Military officials argue the reorganization will speed up decision-making, reduce overlapping duties, and boost coordination across branches. However, critics warn that concentrating too much power in a single commander could undermine institutional balance and weaken oversight.