General Aamer Raza promoted to four-star rank as Pakistan establishes National Strategic Command under newly enacted defence reforms.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has promoted General Aamer Raza to the rank of four-star general and appointed him as the Commander of the National Strategic Command (NSC), marking the first appointment to the newly created position under Pakistan’s revised military command structure.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), General Aamer Raza, who had been serving as the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) of the Pakistan Army, was elevated from the rank of lieutenant general before assuming his new responsibilities.
The prime minister congratulated General Raza on his promotion and appointment, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the country’s strategic command and wishing him success in fulfilling the important national responsibility.
The post of Commander of the National Strategic Command was established following the passage of the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy (Amendment) Bills 2025, which introduced sweeping reforms to the country’s military command framework.
Under the same legislation, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was designated as Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), becoming the first officer to hold the newly created position.
The creation of the National Strategic Command comes after the abolition of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) office, which previously coordinated military affairs among Pakistan’s armed forces.
General Shamshad Mirza became the last officer to serve as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee before the office was dissolved under the new defence reforms.
According to the amended legislation, the Prime Minister has the authority to appoint the Commander of the National Strategic Command from among serving four-star Pakistan Army generals.
The appointment is made on the recommendation of the Chief of the Army Staff–Chief of Defence Forces and carries a three-year tenure.
The establishment of the National Strategic Command is part of the government’s broader effort to modernise Pakistan’s defence leadership structure and strengthen strategic coordination among the country’s armed forces.
