Following NA, Senate also passes Defence Forces Act 2026, amendments to NCA Act 2010
The Senate session has begun under the chairmanship of Presiding Officer Manzoor Kakar
On Thursday, both the National Assembly (NA) and the Senate approved the Defence Forces Act 2026 and amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010, following a majority vote. The opposition boycotted the voting process and left the assembly in protest. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present and greeted opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Gohar, Asad Qaiser and Aamir Dogar.
The Defence Forces Act, effective since November 13, 2025, established the Defence Forces Headquarters, serving as the prime minister's senior military adviser on national security, defence, and armed forces matters. The Chief of Defence Forces holds operational command and control of the armed forces and reports to the federal government.
The Act empowers the Chief of Defence Forces to manage personnel, approve resignations, and modify retirement ages. The National Command Authority Amendment Bill 2026, effective from November 27, 2025, replaced references to the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee with the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces in the Act.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
