ISLAMABAD: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday said the establishment of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Headquarters was a historic and essential requirement to ensure effective integration, coordination, and coherence among the three armed services in response to evolving multi-domain threats, while warning that Pakistan’s response to any future aggression would be faster and more severe.
The Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF) was addressing officers of the tri-services at the General Headquarters (GHQ), where he was earlier presented with a Tri-Services Guard of Honour to formally mark the institution of the appointment of COAS and CDF.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, and senior military officers from the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, and Pakistan Air Force attended the ceremony.
In his address, the Field Marshal paid tribute to the exceptional courage and unity displayed by the Pakistani nation and the professionalism of the armed forces during Marka-e-Haq, describing the multi-domain operations conducted during the conflict as a textbook example for future warfare. He paid homage to the martyrs and said they would always remain the pride of the nation.
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Highlighting the changing character of war, he stressed that the armed forces must remain aligned with new operational realities spanning cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, outer space, information operations, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing.
He said the newly established CDF Headquarters would provide a unified command framework to improve coordination and synergy under a tri-services umbrella, while ensuring that each service retained its operational autonomy, internal command structure, and distinct identity.
Issuing a strong message on national security, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said Pakistan was a peace-loving country but would not allow anyone to challenge its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national resolve. He said India should not fall into any miscalculation, warning that any future aggression would be met with a response that would be even more rapid and severe.
Referring to regional security, the COAS & CDF said the Taliban regime had been clearly conveyed that it must choose between acting against Fitna Al-Khawarij or facing consequences, reiterating that Pakistan would not tolerate militancy directed against its territory.
In his concluding remarks, the Field Marshal outlined his vision for the armed forces to become a combat-ready, technologically advanced, and future-oriented force capable of deterring aggression and enjoying the full confidence of the nation.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards to officers of the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force in recognition of their acts of valour during Marka-e-Haq.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025