Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday congratulated the newly appointed military leadership, expressing the hope that it would work to “end the prevailing trust deficit” between the nation and the state. “We hope the new military leadership will work to end the prevailing trust deficit that has built up in the last 8 months between the nation and the state,” Imran Khan posted on his Twitter handle, as he felicitated the new military command. “Congratulations to Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as new CJCSC & Gen Syed Asim Munir as new COAS,” he tweeted. “The strength of the state is derived from its people,” the PTI chief added. Along with the tweet, Imran also shared a quote by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that stated, “Do not forget that the armed forces are the servants of the people and you do not make national policy; it is we, the civilians, who decide these issues and it is your duty to carry out these tasks with which you are entrusted.” The former prime minister’s comments come a day after Gen Asim took charge as the 17th Army chief of Pakistan at a ceremony held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Earlier this week, Geh Sahir also assumed his appointment as the CJCSC at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi. President Arif Alvi had last week approved the appointment of General Asim Munir as the next chief of army staff and Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as CJCSC, signing the summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The appointments ended weeks of intense speculation about who will lead the powerful military following Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s retirement. The change of command in the army came at a time when the country is facing multiple challenges, including deepening political crises, a resurgence of militancy. However, for Gen Asim, many observers believe, the single biggest challenge is to restore the public image of the security establishment. Under General Bajwa’s six-year extended tenure, the army faced criticism first from the PML-N, when it was in the opposition and now from the party of former prime minister Imran Khan. agencies The former prime minister’s comments come a day after Gen Asim took charge as the 17th Army chief of Pakistan at a ceremony held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Earlier this week, Geh Sahir also assumed his appointment as the CJCSC at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi. President Arif Alvi had last week approved the appointment of General Asim Munir as the next chief of army staff and Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as CJCSC, signing the summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The appointments ended weeks of intense speculation about who will lead the powerful military following Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s retirement. The change of command in the army came at a time when the country is facing multiple challenges, including deepening political crises, a resurgence of militancy. However, for Gen Asim, many observers believe, the single biggest challenge is to restore the public image of the security establishment. Under General Bajwa’s six-year extended tenure, the army faced criticism first from the PML-N, when it was in the opposition and now from the party of former prime minister Imran Khan.