Daily Times

The federal government Thursday morning decided that Lieutenant General Asim Munir would become Pakistan’s next army chief, replacing General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

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

Lt. Gen. Munir joined the military through the Mangla Officers Training School (OTS) programme and it was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment’s 23rd Battalion.

As a brigadier, Lt. Gen. Munir oversaw soldiers in the Force Command Northern Areas for Gen. Bajwa, who was then the Commander X Corps. Early in 2017, he was named director general of the military intelligence. In October 2018, he was named director general of the ISI.

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,” having memorised the Quran while serving as a Lt. Colonel in Saudi Arabia.

PM Shehbaz decided that Lieutenant General Asim Munir would become Pakistan’s next army chief, replacing General Qamar Javed Bajwa and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza to become Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,

A summary in this regard has been forwarded to President Arif Alvi for approval.

The statement was made on Twitter by Marriyum Aurangzeb, minister of information, who stated that the premier had exercised his constitutional right in making the decision. Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, she added, had been chosen to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee is a forum between the three military services that promotes collaboration. The CJCSC also acts as the prime minister’s and the National Command Authority.