Lt Gen Aamer Raza becomes general, appointed as commander of National Strategic Command

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday promoted Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Aamer Raza to the rank of four-star general and appointed him as Commander of the National Strategic Command.

The prime minister congratulated General Aamer on his promotion and new assignment, expressing confidence in his ability to discharge the responsibilities of the key strategic post.

PM Shehbaz also extended his best wishes to General Aamer for the successful discharge of his duties in the national interest.

The development has come more than six months after Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was appointed as the first chief of defence forces (CDF) for a period of five years.

The CDF position was created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, replacing the abolished office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) chairman, which formally ended on November 27, 2025.

Islamabad, 24 July 2026.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced the promotion of Lieutenant General Aamer Raza, HI(M), SBt, Chief of the General Staff of Pakistan Army, to the rank of “Four-Star General” and his appointment as “Commander National Strategic… pic.twitter.com/U1Qk2K5nsl

— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) July 24, 2026

Under the revised structure, the CDF role is dual-hatted, combining responsibilities of the former CJCSC with the office of the Chief of Army Staff.

Appointment of the Commander of the National Strategic Command (NSC) was another key development that had since then been under consideration. This is a newly created four-star role tasked with overseeing Pakistan’s nuclear command and strategic forces—previously handled by the CJCSC.

As per the amended Article 243 of the Constitution, the NSC Commander is appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the chief of army staff.