The Pakistan Armed Forces (Urdu: پاکستان مسلح افواج; pronounced [ˈpɑːkˌɪstaːn mʊˈsəlˌle(ɦ) əfˈwɑːd͡ʒ]) are the military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's seventh-largest military measured by active military personnel and consists of three uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are backed by several paramilitary forces such as the National Guard and the Civil Armed Forces. As of the 2025 reforms, the highest-ranking military officer is the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), who also serves concurrently as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), holding principal command authority over all three branches and overseeing war strategy, operations, joint force development, and resource allocation. The office of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) has been abolished, and many prior responsibilities are now assumed by the CDF, streamlining military command and accelerating decision-making.
A pivotal part of the 2025 reforms is the formation of the position of Commander of National Strategic Command (CNSC), a four-star army general appointed by the Prime Minister upon the CDF’s recommendation and is responsible for Pakistan’s nuclear and strategic assets. The Strategic Plans Division remains crucial, managing nuclear policy of Pakistan and national deterrent under the CNSC’s supervision. The President of Pakistan is the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces. All branches of Pakistan Armed Forces are now coordinated through the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), who directs strategic planning, resource allocation, and joint military operations, with the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ) being reorganised to support integrated command across all services from the Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ).
