• NA, Senate pass Defence Forces of Pakistan Act, 2026 and the amended National Command Authority Act, 2010 on the same day
• Opposition walks out; PPP lawmakers vote for bills, despite objecting to way they were presented
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed two bills pertaining to the military and nuclear command structure, in a session that saw the opposition stage a walkout, and the PPP — an ally of the ruling PML-N — objecting to the manner in which the legislation was presented.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif presented the two bills — the Defence Forces of Pakistan Act, 2026 and the amended National Command Authority Act, 2010 — as the opposition walked out.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari raised objections to the way in which the bills were presented; however, party lawmakers later voted in favour of the two pieces of legislation.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Mr Bhutto-Zardari lashed out at the government for not taking ruling allies on board while making legislation. He said he supported the bills, but not the way they were presented.
“I personally apologise for what is happening to you,” he said, referring to the prime minister, and “ruling allies and the opposition”. “The legislation is not controversial, but why is such legislation being made controversially?” he asked.
The bills were not on the NA’s agenda for Thursday.
In the Senate, the opposition strongly protested the practice of bulldozing legislation when the two bills were about to be brought before house through a supplementary agenda for immediate consideration and passage, without being referred to the standing committee concerned.
“Is this the way to legislate”, Opposition Leader in Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas asked shortly before announcing a walkout in protest. JUI-F and PTI lawmakers also joined the walkout.
ANP Chief Aimal Wali Khan also raised an objection, saying the bills should be sent to the standing committee for discussion.
Earlier in the day, they were approved by the federal cabinet, chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif.
The premier was also in the NA when the bills were presented, and left after the assembly approved them. The session was then adjourned till 11am on Friday.
A statement issued by the PM Office after the federal cabinet meeting said the bills had been prepared in continuation of the tweaks made to the Constitution under the 27th Amendment.
The Defence Forces Act, it said, “aims to determine the relevant administrative matters regarding the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters”.
Meanwhile, the amendments to the National Command Authority Act were described as “a necessary process” following the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment, enacted in November last year, altered Pakistan’s higher defence architecture by abolishing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating the new position of chief of defence forces, concurrently held by the chief of army staff.
Field Marshal Asim Munir became the country’s first chief of defence forces following the constitutional changes.
The amendment also resulted in the creation of the Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC) post, a four-star office that oversees the operational integration of Pakistan’s strategic forces.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promoted Gen Syed Aamer Raza from the rank of lieutenant general and simultaneously appointed him as the country’s first CNSC.
Following his appointment, amendments in the National Command Authority Act, 2010, which still reflects the pre-27th Amendment military hierarchy, were needed.
Defence Forces of Pakistan Act
The draft of the Defence Forces of Pakistan Act, 2026, seen by Dawn, was stated that the bill was designed to introduce provisions to give effect to the chief of the defence forces’s role as the commander of the armed forces.
“And to ensure multidomain integration, restructuring and optimum jointness of the Armed Forces,” the draft read.
According to the draft, the proposed act will enable the establishment of the Defence Forces Headquarters, which shall serve as the headquarters of the Armed Forces.
It added that the headquarters will be under the command of the CDF, who will be the “principal military advisor” to the PM on national security, defence and all matters relating to the armed forces. The CDF would have the operational command and control of the Armed Forces and will be “responsible” to the federal government for matters of command and control.
Outlining the power and functions of the CDF, the draft stated that the CDF “shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as are necessary for multidomain integration, operational cohesion, coordination and oversight of all matters which have joint, tri-services and strategic implications for the Armed Forces and national security of Pakistan”.
It added that the CDF has the authority to “retire, release, accept, or reject resignation of, or discharge from service, or retain in service, or relax age, or service limit of retirement” of those subject to the laws of the Armed Forces, but not those who were appointed under Article 243.
“Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the CDF may exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as the Federal Government may prescribe,” it read.
The draft further stated that the government and the CDF could issue instructions “from time to time” and amend rules and regulations to ensure the provisions of the proposed act.
In case any difficulty or inconsistency emerges, the proposed act added that the president may “by an order, remove such difficulty”.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2026
