ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed by majority vote the Defence Forces Act 2026, and the National Command Authority (Amendment) Bill, following their approval by the federal cabinet earlier.

The bills were approved by the cabinet during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where the government endorsed draft legislation aimed at implementing legal and administrative changes arising from the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

The cabinet approved the draft Defence Forces Act 2026, which seeks to establish the necessary legal and administrative framework concerning the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters.

In the same meeting, the federal cabinet also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010.

The draft and amended National Command Authority Act was subsequently brought before the National Assembly for consideration and was approved through a majority vote.

The 27th Amendment, which was passed in November last year, brought changes to the judicial structure and military command, resulting in the abolition of the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating the new position of chief of defence forces.

Following the constitutional changes, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir became the country’s first chief of defence forces.

The Commander of the National Strategic Command post was also created, a four-star office that oversees the operational integration of Pakistan’s strategic forces.

PM Shehbaz had promoted Gen Raza — who was previously serving as the Chief of the General Staff — from the Lieutenant General’s rank to the rank of “Four-Star General” and simultaneously appointed him to the coveted post.