ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is all set to get Lt. Gen. Asim Munir as its new Army Chief, a position largely designated as the most powerful one in the largely coup-prone nation.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has picked up Lt. Gen. Asim Munir for the job thus ending intense speculations over the nation's most powerful position.
It may be mentioned here that Lt. Gen. Munir has previously headed the country's two most powerful intelligence agencies – the Inter-Services Intelligence and the Military Intelligence. However, his role as ISI Chief was short as he was removed by former PM Imran Khan in 2019.
He will be replacing General Qamar Javed Bajwa whose retirement is due on November 29 after two consecutive 3-year terms as the Army Chief.
Pakistan's Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb shared this big development via a tweet. She said, "The Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has decided to appoint Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Lt. Gen. Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of the Army Staff using the constitutional authority. A summary of this has been sent to the President of Pakistan."
Although in the case of the neighbouring country, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest considering the hierarchy of the armed forces, but key powers like mobilisation of troops, appointments and transfers are within the control of the Army Chief that makes him the most powerful person in the military. Worthwhile to mention here is that Pakistan has been under Army rule for more than half in the entire 75 years of its existence.
Notably, this major appointment comes amidst the ongoing tussle between the military and Former Prime Minister Imran Khan who alleges the former for playing a significant part in his ouster in April 2022 through a no-confidence vote.
Pakistan's Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry who is also a close aid of Imran Khan earlier said on Wednesday, "Until we see the conduct of the new army chief, we cannot say anything about it, but the role of the army in politics in the last 6 months is controversial, this role will need to be changed."
The new Army Chief Lt Gen Mirza has an impressive military career particularly besides being closely involved in the Quadrilateral Coordination Group that coordinated the Afghan talks between Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and the United States.
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