As part of its reform efforts to strengthen joint operational command across Pakistan’s military services, Pakistan’s federal government may institute a new position: Commander of Defence Forces (CDF). To this end, The Economic Times, Geo News and Islamabad Post all report this move as “an unprecedented change”.
As part of a proposed amendment to Article 243 of Pakistan’s Constitution (which currently states that “the Federal Government shall have control and command of the Armed Forces” while “Supreme Command of the Armed Forces shall vest in the President”), CDF would serve as the unified commander for all military services (Army, Navy and Air Force), providing improved coordination during an age of complex threats. Geo News | One More Thing (+11).
What’s Being Proposed According to reports, a Constitutional Amendment called the 27th is being considered that would create the position of “Commander of Defence Forces”, with an aim of unifying three services into a single command structure and creating a single point of command for them all. (Source: Islamabad Post)
Defence Ministry sources disclosed that this reform is inspired by recent regional tensions and emerging forms of warfare – cyber operations, drones and hybrid threats — necessitating more cohesive military responses. (Geo News).
Why the Reform is Vital
Reform advocates maintain that current structures, with individual service chiefs and fractured command channels, are insufficient for modern warfare. The proposed CDF role seeks to bridge coordination gaps, decrease siloed decision-making processes and enhance joint operations – especially border-skirmishes, counterterrorism efforts and maritime security missions.
Analysts note that creating the CDF may also signal a shift in civil-military relations. By codifying a unified military command into the Constitution, the government is signaling their long-term vision of professionalisation and strategic coherence; potentially leading to less ad hoc arrangements and clearer lines of accountability.

Possible Implications and Concerns (PICs) and Questions (Qs).

Although reform has its supporters, it has generated controversy as well. Of particular note is its concentration of power: elevating one officer across all services could provoke institutional rivalries and affect internal checks and balances; critics caution that without careful design it could threaten service autonomy or obscure civilian oversight lines.

Timing and process remain at issue: the 27th Amendment draft has not yet been made public, leaving its details under wraps and drawing criticism from opposition parties who contend more debate should take place due to its magnitude of change. Geo News reported.
Additionally, this reform comes amid related developments: Pakistan recently extended service chief tenures from three years to five, seen by some as strengthening military continuity and influence. AP News
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How the CDF role will fit within extended tenures and existing legislative framework remains to be clarified.

Look Ahead
Should the 27th Amendment pass through Parliament, it would mark an important step forward for Pakistan’s defence and constitutional reform agenda. Key questions now include how CDF positions will be selected and managed, their relationships to civil-secretariat and defence ministries as well as interservice cooperation without marginalising individual service identities.

At present, it appears the government is set on moving swiftly on this matter. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif recently confirmed consultations are currently taking place between service chiefs and legal experts as well as his ministry. ecologique News Plus.
As this process unfolds, its reform is likely to provoke much-debated discussions in parliament, security analyst circles and military circles.

Overall, Pakistan’s proposal to create a Commander of Defence Forces represents its effort to modernise and adapt to evolving security threats through modernizing military command structures and creating new ones. Whether or not such reform strengthens national defence depends on how it is implemented with regard to safeguards built into any new system.