National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026

Pakistan’s National Assembly has Passed the National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026 to further amend the National Command Authority Act, 2010 and bring the law in line with the Constitutional (27th Amendment) Act, 2025.

The amendment makes consequential changes to the National Command Authority Act, 2010, including replacing the reference to the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee with the Chief of the Army Staff concurrently the Chief of the Defense Forces and adding the Commander of the National Strategic Command to the relevant provision.

What Changed Under the New Law?

Reference to Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Replaced

The amendment makes a general change throughout the National Command Authority Act, 2010.

Wherever the expression “Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee” occurs, it will be replaced with:

“Chief of the Army Staff concurrently the Chief of the Defense Forces.”

This change updates the terminology used in the Act in accordance with the constitutional changes referred to in the Statement of Objects and Reasons.

New Member Added to National Command Authority Structure

Section 3 of the National Command Authority Act, 2010 has also been amended.

Under the amendment:

• Clause (f) of subsection (4) is omitted
• Existing clauses (g) and (h) are re-numbered as clauses (f) and (g)
• The word “and” is removed from the re-numbered clause (f)
• The expression “;and” is inserted in the re-numbered clause (g)
• A new clause (h) is added

The new clause adds the:

Commander of the National Strategic Command

Effective Date of the Amendment

The Act is titled the National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026.

It will come into force immediately and will be deemed to have taken effect from 27 November 2025.

Why Was the Law Introduced?

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the purpose of the amendment is to make the National Command Authority Act, 2010 consistent with the Constitutional (27th Amendment) Act, 2025 and make consequential amendments to the law.

The National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026 was prepared specifically for this purpose.

What Does the Amendment Aim to Achieve?

The legislation seeks to:

• Bring the National Command Authority Act, 2010 in line with the Constitutional (27th Amendment) Act, 2025
• Update terminology relating to the military command structure
• Replace references to the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
• Recognize the Chief of the Army Staff concurrently as the Chief of the Defense Forces
• Add the Commander of the National Strategic Command to the relevant provision
• Make consequential amendments required under the constitutional changes

Key Provisions of the Amendment

• The National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026 is enacted
• The National Command Authority Act, 2010 is amended
• “Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee” is replaced with “Chief of the Army Staff concurrently the Chief of the Defense Forces”
• Clause (f) of Section 3(4) is omitted
• Existing clauses (g) and (h) are re-numbered
• A new clause (h) is inserted
• The Commander of the National Strategic Command is added under the amended provision
• The Act comes into force immediately
• The Act is deemed to have taken effect from 27 November 2025

Pakistan’s National Assembly has introduced the National Command Authority (Amendment) Act, 2026 to align the National Command Authority Act, 2010 with the Constitutional (27th Amendment) Act, 2025, update references within the law, and add the Commander of the National Strategic Command to the relevant institutional provision.