President Arif Alvi approves PM Shehbaz Sharif’s nominees for COAS & CJCSC

In a major development, President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir as the next chief of army staff of Pakistan while Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has been appointed as the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

Following a meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the president signed the summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Lt Gen Munir, who was also Pakistan’s chief spy, will take over from outgoing COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa on November 29, who retires later this month after a six-year term.

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

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.

Meanwhile, Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza will assume charge on November 27.

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.