The federal cabinet on Thursday approved the draft Defence Forces Act 2026 along with proposed amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010, moving forward with legislation required to implement the new military command structure introduced under the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The approvals were given during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Both bills are expected to be presented to Parliament during its ongoing session.
The proposed Defence Forces Act has been drafted to implement changes made to Article 243 of the Constitution through the 27th Amendment.
Under the constitutional changes, the chief of army staff will simultaneously hold the position of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), while the office of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) has been abolished.
According to the PMO, the proposed legislation will establish the administrative arrangements governing the CDF and the CDF Headquarters, providing a statutory framework for the revised military command system.
The cabinet also cleared amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010, which the government said were required to bring the existing legislation into line with the constitutional changes.
The amended National Command Authority bill will also be submitted to Parliament for approval.