Islamabad: Field Marshal Asim Munir is now the first-ever Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Pakistan, thus ushering him to take over the reins of all three services.
The Shehbaz Sharif government inducted Asim Munir to the key position for a period of five years, months after the country suffered a huge losses in a war with India.
The Pakistan President's office in a post on X approved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's summary recommending Munir for both Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
‘President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years,’ the President of Pakistan said in the post.
The key position gives Munir not only authority over Army, Navy, and Air Force but oversight of the National Strategic Command, which manages the country's nuclear weapons and missile systems.
Munir who otherwise would have retired last month is now the single most powerful military figure in the country.
The position allows him legal cover equivalent to that of the country's president thus gaining lifelong immunity from any legal prosecution.
The protection has also been extended to the air force and navy chiefs.
If he wishes to continue in the position at the end of the tenure it is unlikely both the president and prime minister deny him, considering the power they conferred on him.
The CDF, according to reports in Pakistan media, will now have the power to recommend the appointment to the position of Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) which the government will then authorize.