ISLAMABAD, Dec 07 (APP): The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) on Sunday extended its warm felicitations to Field Marshal Asim Munir on assuming charge as the first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Pakistan, an appointment that constitutes a landmark advancement in the nation’s defence structure.
The Forum also felicitated him on holding this historic office concurrently with the position of Chief of Army Staff, symbolising a new chapter of unified and visionary military leadership.
In a joint statement, PBF President Khawaja Mehboob ur Rehman, Chief Organiser Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad, Senior Vice President Amna Awan, and Provincial Chairmen Muhammad Ashfaq Piracha, Malik Talat Suhail, Tariq Jadoon, Daroo Khan Achakzai, and Muhammad Naseer Malik hailed the creation of the CDF office as a transformative initiative for Pakistan’s defence and national security planning.
The Forum emphasised that Field Marshal Asim Munir’s appointment carried profound relevance in the context of Pakistan’s geo-strategic and geo-political landscape. Pakistan today stood at a sensitive intersection of regional security dynamics, with evolving threats, shifting alliances, and emerging global power competitions.
In such a scenario, the establishment of a unified command under the CDF ensured coherent, swift, and strategically aligned decision-making across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
With Pakistan positioned at the heart of South Asia, neighbouring nuclear powers, and major trade and energy corridors, unified military leadership will strengthen the country’s ability to safeguard its interests, maintain stability, support national development goals, and respond effectively to hybrid challenges, border threats, and regional upheavals.
This structural reform, therefore, reinforced Pakistan’s credibility and preparedness on the international stage.
From an economic and business perspective, the PBF stressed that a strong and harmonised defence leadership contributes directly to domestic stability, investor confidence, and long-term economic planning.
A secure environment is the bedrock of industrial expansion, supply-chain continuity, and foreign investment.
The Forum highlighted that unified command will enhance transparency and coherence in national security management—elements crucial for sustained economic momentum.
The Forum further proposed that, under the inclusive command of the CDF, the government may rejuvenate the National Action Plan (NAP) through a whole-of-system approach and implement a zero-tolerance policy against extremism, ensuring internal peace that is essential for business growth and national progress.
PBF Karachi Chief Malik Khuda Baksh and forum District President’s Sajid Hussain Tarar, Ammar Yasir Khawaja, Sardar Najeeb ullah, Mian Kashif Zia, Saad Khan Zahid, and Shah Wali Achakzai also extended their heartfelt congratulations.
They noted that Field Marshal Asim Munir has elevated Pakistan’s international standing through his principled, decisive, and forward-looking leadership, earning admiration from global leaders and allies.
The Pakistan Business Forum also congratulated Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu on the extension of his service tenure by two years, expressing confidence that the Pakistan Air Force will continue to strengthen its professional excellence and accelerate its transformation into a modern, technologically advanced force under his leadership.
The forum also stated under the leadership of Air Chief Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, the Pakistan Air Force has demonstrated exceptional operational readiness and strategic clarity. The events of May 7 and 10, 2025, during which the PAF executed a measured yet firm demonstration of capability in response to regional developments involving the Indian Air Force, have been widely noted by defence analysts.
The professionalism, discipline, and precision displayed by the PAF on that occasion are expected to be referenced as a case study in air war colleges and military institutions across the world—reflecting Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty with responsibility and restraint.