Chief of the Air Staff (Pakistan)
| Chief of the Air Staff | |
|---|---|
| رئیسِ عملۂ پاک فضائیہ | |
Air Force Ensign of Pakistan | |
since 19 March 2021 | |
| Ministry of Defence (Air Force Secretariat-II at MoD) Pakistan Air Force | |
| Abbreviation | CAS |
| Member of | Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee National Security Council |
| Reports to | Prime Minister of Pakistan Minister of Defence |
| Residence | Air Headquarters, Islamabad |
| Seat | Air Headquarters |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Pakistan |
| Appointer | President of Pakistan |
| Term length | 5 years Renewable |
| Precursor | Commander-in-Chief |
| Formation | 3 March 1972 |
| First holder | Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhry |
| Unofficial names | Air chief |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of the Air Staff |
| Salary | According to Pakistan Military officer's Pay Grade (apex Scale) |
| Website | Official Website |
The Chief of the Air Staff (reporting name: CAS) is a military appointment and a statutory office held by an Air Chief Marshal in the Pakistan Air Force, who is appointed by the prime minister of Pakistan with final confirmation by the president of Pakistan. The CAS is the highest-ranking officer of the Pakistan Air Force.
The Chief of the Air Staff is a senior most military appointment in the Pakistani military who is a senior member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in a separate capacity, usually providing necessary consultation to the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee to act as a principal military adviser to the prime minister and its civilian government in the line of defending and guarding the nation's airspace and aerial borders.: 40
The Chief of the Air Staff exercises his responsibility of command and control of the operational, administration, combatant, logistics, and training commands within the Air Force.: 140
The appointment, in principle, was constitutionally subjected for three years. However, in March 2024, the incumbent chief was controversially given a one year extension in his tenure. In November 2024, the term length was increased to five years. The Chief of the Air Staff is based at the Air Headquarters, and the current chief is Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar.