Lieutenant General Asim Munir. file | Photo Credit: AP
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 24 November selected Lieutenant General Asim Munir to replace General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief, ending the mystery over the chief’s appointment.
Gen Bajwa, 61, is due to retire on November 29 after an extension of three years. He has denied seeking another extension.
Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza was elected as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb announced this on Twitter.
about the summary [appointments] Sent to the President,” Ms Maryam Aurangzeb tweeted.
Both the officers have also been promoted to four-star generals.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the media after the appointments that “advice” had been sent to President Arif Alvi, adding that all matters had been resolved in accordance with the law and the constitution.
He called on citizens to refrain from viewing it through a “political lens”. dawn Newspaper reported.
He expressed hope that the president would not make the appointments “controversial” and would support the premier’s advice.
The Defense Minister reiterated that the President should support the Premier’s advice so that “controversy does not arise”.
“This will also help in getting our country and economy back on track. Everything is at a standstill at the moment.” The CJCSC is the highest authority in the hierarchy of the armed forces, but major powers, including mobilization, appointments and transfers of troops, rest with the COAS, making that person the most powerful person in the military.
The powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its more than 75 years of existence, has so far wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.
There has been extraordinary interest in the appointment of General Bajwa’s successor as many believe that ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s long journey is linked to a change of command in the army.
He has asked his supporters to assemble in Rawalpindi on November 26, two days before General Bajwa will hand over the baton to the new army chief.