NA and Senate Approve Amendments to Defence Forces Act and NCA Act 2010

ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (Dost News Bureau): The National Assembly and the Senate have approved bills seeking amendments to the Defence Forces Act 2026 and the National Command Authority Act 2010.

Following approval by the National Assembly, the Senate also passed both bills by majority vote. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif presented the bills in the Senate, which were approved amid opposition protest and a walkout by opposition lawmakers.

The Defence Forces Act 2026 seeks to provide a legal framework for the new defence command structure introduced following the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The legislation provides for the office and administrative framework of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters.

Under the new legal framework, the Chief of Defence Forces will exercise command and control-related responsibilities over the armed forces, while legal provisions have also been introduced for the establishment and administrative functioning of the Defence Forces Headquarters.

The legislation also contains provisions concerning the continuation of existing orders, directives and notifications issued under the previous legal framework.

The second bill seeks amendments to the National Command Authority Act 2010 to bring the law in line with the changes introduced through the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The amended framework provides for the inclusion of the Chief of Defence Forces in the National Command Authority.

The amendments also make changes to the composition and functioning of the National Command Authority in accordance with the revised defence command structure.

The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, had earlier approved both pieces of legislation before they were placed before Parliament.

The approval by both houses of Parliament marks the completion of the parliamentary process for the two bills, which will now proceed to the next constitutional stage.

The government says the legislation is aimed at aligning existing laws with the new constitutional and administrative framework governing the country’s defence command structure.