Govt decides to appoint Lt Gen Asim Munir as new Army Chief, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad as CJCSC

ISLAMABAD (National Times) –Government has decided to appoint Lieutenant General Asim Munir as new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb made the announcement on Twitter, saying the premier had made the choice while exercising his constitutional powers. She further said that Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had been picked as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

The information minister added that the summary of the appointments has been sent to President Arif Alvi for ratification.

Speaking to the media minutes after the announcement was made, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the “advice” had been forwarded to President Arif Alvi.

He said that all matters had been settled according to the law and the Constitution, calling on the nation to refrain from viewing it through a “political lens”.

He expressed the hope that the president would not make the appointment “controversial” and would endorse the advice of the premier.

Lt General Asim Munir is the senior most officer after outgoing Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and is currently serving as Quartermaster General in the Pakistan Army.

Lt-Gen Munir entered the service via the Officers Training School (OTS) programme in Mangla and was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment.

Lt-Gen Munir commanded troops in the Force Command Northern Areas as a brigadier under Gen Bajwa, who was then Commander X Corps. He was appointed DG of the Military Intelligence in early 2017 and then ISI Director General in October 2018.

Eight months later, Lt-Gen Munir was posted Gujranwala Corps Commander. He was moved to the GHQ as Quartermaster General two years later.

Lt-Gen Munir is the recipient of the Sword of Honour from the 17th course of the Officers Training School in Mangla. Also, he is the recipient of the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.

He is a ‘Hafiz-e-Quran’ who memorised the Quran during his posting in Saudi Arabia as Lt Colonel.