PM names Lt Gen Asim Munir as new army chief, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as CJCSC

President’s Secretariat receives summary. COAS General Bajwa will retire on Nov 29.

PM names Lt Gen Asim Munir as new army chief, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as CJCSC. The government on Thursday announced that Lieutenant General Asim Munir had been chosen by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to become Pakistan’s next army chief, replacing General Qamar Javed Bajwa — ending the ongoing speculations.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed on Twitter that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, using his Constitutional right, had also named Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

A private news channel reported that President’s Secretariat has received the summary of the appointment — of the officers, who are among the senior-most military officers at the moment.

The decision was announced after PM Shehbaz held a federal cabinet meeting earlier today to mull over the high-profile appointments after the allied parties authorised him to pick the officers for the top slots.

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PM Shehbaz’s nominee for the army chief has also been retained by the federal government under the Pakistan Army Act, according to sources, as he was about to retire later this month.

Lt Gen Munir, who was also Pakistan’s chief spy, will take over from outgoing COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retires later this month after a six-year term.

COAS Gen Bajwa, who was appointed as the army chief in 2016, will retire on November 29. He was initially set to hang up his boots in 2019, but the PTI-led government gave him a three-year extension.

Asif hopes for no ‘controversy’

Speaking to the media after the meeting of the federal cabinet, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also confirmed that the summary had been sent to the president.

“All the matters have been settled in line with the Constitution of Pakistan and hopefully the president will not create a controversy,” Asif said. The minister expected President Alvi to approve the premier’s advice as per Consitution and law.

He expressed hope that the said appointments would not be entertained on political advice.

The minister refused to comment on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s consultation with President Alvi over the matter. He said that he has tweeted on the matter.

He said that the Pakistan Air Force, navy, and army shouldn’t be made controversial. A detailed press release regarding the development will be issued, Asif added.

Before the media talk, Asif had said in his tweet, saying that it was now a test for Imran Khan where he could either strengthen the institution responsible for defending the country or make it controversial.

“This is also a test for President Alvi, whether he will follow political advice or constitutional and legal advice. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he must protect the country from political conflicts,” Asif stressed in his tweet.

Who is Lt Gen Asim Munir?

Lt Gen Asim Munir joined the Pakistan Army from the Mangala Officers Training School programme and then became a commissioned officer in the Frontier Force Regiment.

He commanded the Northern Areas Force as a brigadier and was appointed the director-general of the Military Intelligence in early 2017. In 2018, he was appointed as the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Following this, he was posted as Corps Commander Gujranwala for two years. Currently, he is serving as the Quarter Master at the General Headquarters (GHQ).

He will become the first army chief who has headed both — the MI and the ISI. Lt Gen Munir will also be the first army chief who has been awarded the Sword of Honour.

When he was posted in Madina as a lieutenant colonel, the military officer became Hafiz-i-Quran (a person who has memorised the Quran) at age 38.

Who is Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza?

Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza hails from the Sindh Regiment and served as the director-general of the military operations under former COAS Raheel Sharif.

Lt Gen Mirza also supervised the operations against terrorists in North Waziristan and was part of the coordination group that oversaw negotiations with Afghanistan.

He was also a member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Reforms Committee. After becoming a Lt Gen, Mirza was appointed as the Chief of the General Staff. Currently, he is serving as the Corps Commander Rawalpindi.