Federal cabinet approves drafts of two bills related to military, nuclear command structure

The federal cabinet of Pakistan has approved drafts of two important bills concerning the military and nuclear command structures. The measures, unveiled following a cabinet meeting in Islamabad, are the Defence Forces Act, 2026 and an amended National Command Authority Act, 2010. The Defence Forces Act seeks to regulate administrative affairs related to the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters, building upon changes to the Constitution under the 27th Amendment.

The amended National Command Authority Act aims to align the legislation with the new constitutional order, which includes the creation of the Chief of Defence Forces position and the Commander of the National Strategic Command. Both bills are set to be presented to Parliament for approval during the ongoing legislative session.

The 27th Constitutional Amendment, introduced last year, significantly reshaped Pakistan's defense framework by eliminating the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and consolidating powers under the new Chief of Defence Forces. The amendments to the National Command Authority Act are necessary to reflect these changes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated the government's openness to dialogue with the opposition, inviting them for "meaningful" discussions to support economic progress and bolster democracy.

The invitation comes amid ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition, primarily over the handling of the 2023 and 2024 protests that erupted following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. The government has persisted in urging the opposition to engage in constructive dialogue, with recent meetings including talks between opposition leaders and government ministers.

Additionally, the government announced a diesel price reduction of approximately Rs32 per liter to alleviate fuel supply disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.