It was reported that Asim Munir was scared of being killed by Indian precision strikes during Ops Sindoor  that he addressed Pak soldiers in a field very far away from Nur Khan (Chaklala) base

Months after India pounded Pakistani defence establishments in May 2025, rattled Pakistan is undertaking significant defence reforms aimed at establishing better coordination among its armed forces.

Central to these reforms is a proposed constitutional amendment— the 27th Amendment to Article 243— which plans to introduce the designation of Commander of Defence Forces (CDF).

This position is intended to create a unified command structure over the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force, drawing lessons from the recent conflict and the modern warfare environment that demands integrated operational responses.​

Currently, Article 243 mandates that the Federal Government has control and command of the armed forces, and the Supreme Command is vested in the President of Pakistan.

The amendment, however, seeks to shift these operational authorities to the new CDF post, thereby centralising command among the three services and potentially diluting the President’s and civilian government's direct operational control over the military. This change could tilt the balance of civil-military relations, granting increased power to the military leadership.​

The reforms have emerged in the backdrop of India's earlier 2019 creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post, designed to enhance inter-service coordination. India notified unified command rules in May 2025, coincident with rising tensions between the two countries, emphasising jointness in procurement, training, and operations for efficiency. Pakistan’s move can be seen as mirroring this trend but with distinct political and constitutional implications.​

Aspirations for this new role of CDF appear closely linked to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, who was promoted to Field Marshal after the May conflict and is set to retire as Army Chief on November 28, 2025.

He is widely regarded as the front-runner to assume the CDF post, consolidating his command over all three services. This appointment would formalise and possibly enhance Munir’s already formidable authority, legally recognising his five-star rank and securing his position against dismissal or demotion.​

The process to amend Article 243 is still in consultation, with Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirming ongoing discussions citing evolving defence requirements.

The constitutional amendment is also enveloped in political complexity, as the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s party (PLMN) seeks to enact it despite opposition and conditional support from the PPP, whose leader President Asif Ali Zardari currently holds the formal supreme command authority constitutionally.​

This transition follows the revelations from India’s Operation Sindoor in May, which exposed significant shortcomings in Pakistan's military preparedness. The Indian armed forces demonstrated superior joint operations and strategic foresight, impacting Pakistan’s military assets and command efficiency.

Pakistan's move towards a unified command structure appears to formalise the military's dominant role over civilian control, embedding it constitutionally rather than remaining an implicit power dynamic.​

Pakistan's planned defence reforms following the May 2025 India war involve creating a constitutional post of Commander of Defence Forces that centralises command over its three armed forces and amplifies the military's authority, particularly benefiting Field Marshal Asim Munir.

This shift, driven by operational lessons and strategic imperatives, is set to recalibrate civil-military relations in Pakistan, empowering the military leadership vis-à-vis civilian governance.​

Based On India Today Report