ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday approved the draft Defence Forces Act 2026 and amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010, with both measures now set to be placed before parliament for approval.
The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. The government said the proposed legislation follows changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defence Forces Act 2026 is intended to provide the administrative framework for the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters.
The draft will be presented during the ongoing parliamentary session following the cabinet’s approval.
The cabinet also approved amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010, describing the changes as necessary following the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The amended National Command Authority legislation will also be placed before parliament for approval.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 2025, introduced major changes to Pakistan’s military command structure, including the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff concurrently as Chief of Defence Forces and the abolition of the office of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from November 27, 2025. It also provided for the appointment of a Commander of the National Strategic Command.
The latest cabinet approvals are aimed at translating those constitutional changes into the statutory and administrative framework governing the armed forces and the country’s strategic command structure.
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