NA passes bills related to military, nuclear command structure as Bilawal objects, opposition walks out

NA passes bills related to military, nuclear command structure as Bilawal objects, opposition walks out.

Key points

• Defence Minister Khawaja Asif presented the two bills – the Defence Forces Act, 2010 and the amended National Command Authority Act, 2010 – while the opposition walked out.
• The amendments to the National Command Authority Act were described as "a necessary process" after the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
• Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promoted Gen Syed Aamer Raza from the rank of lieutenant general and simultaneously appointed him as the country's first CNSC.
• After his appointment, amendments in the National Command Authority Act, 2010.
• PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari raised objections, saying that no consultation was held before the bills were presented.

NA passes bills related to military, nuclear command structure as Bilawal objects, opposition walks out. Syed Irfan Raza Published August 20, 2026 Updated August 20, 2026 04: 46pm. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed two bills pertaining to the military and nuclear command structure in a session that saw the opposition staging a walkout and the PPP – an ally of the ruling PML-N – objecting to the legislation.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari raised objections, saying that no consultation was held before the bills were presented. The bills were not on the NA's agenda for today.

Earlier in the day, they were approved by the federal cabinet session. It was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

For context, the premier was additionally in the NA when the bills were presented and left after the NA's approval for the legislation.

Notably, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after the federal cabinet session stated the bills had been prepared in continuation of the tweaks created to the Constitution under the 27th Amendment.

Notably, the Defence Forces Act, it remarked, "aims to determine the relevant administrative matters regarding the office of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters".

Meanwhile, the amendments to the National Command Authority Act were described as "a necessary process" after the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Meanwhile, the 27th Constitutional Amendment, enacted in November last year, fundamentally altered Pakistan's higher defence architecture by abolishing the office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating the new position of chief of defence forces, concurrently held by the chief of army staff.

Field Marshal Asim Munir became the country's first chief of defence forces after the constitutional changes.

Notably, the Amendment additionally resulted in the creation of the Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC) post, a four-star office that oversees the operational integration of Pakistan's strategic forces.

After his appointment, amendments in the National Command Authority Act, 2010. It still reflects the pre-27th Amendment military hierarchy, are needed.

Before the bills were presented, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had suspended the proceedings for 15 minutes due to the absence of ministers and parliamentary secretaries during the question hour.

"If you are not going to take parliamentary business seriously, then there is no point in holding the question hour, " the speaker remarked.

After this, the speaker adjourned the session for 15 minutes to allow all office-holders concerned to arrive.

Taken together, the developments around NA passes bills related to military, nuclear command structure as Bilawal objects, point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.