Profile: Gen Asim Munir, Pakistan’s new army chief

Published November 24, 2022
Lieutenant General Asim Munir
Lieutenant General Asim Munir

After days of speculation, anticipation and apprehension that the appointment to the military’s top office could face delays, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has picked Lieutenant General Asim Munir to succeed outgoing army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The selection, which caps weeks of speculation, was confirmed on Nov 24 after President Arif Alvi signed a summary sent by the premier. Gen Munir took the reins of the Pakistan Army on Nov 29.

Lt Gen Munir is an outstanding officer, but because of the technicalities involved, it was earlier believed he would remain the proverbial dark horse in the race for the army chief’s position.

He was promoted to the rank of a three-star general in September 2018, but he took charge two months later. As such, his four-year tenure as Lt Gen ends on November 27, around the same time when incumbent Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza and Chief of Army Staff Gen Bajwa will be doffing their army uniform.

Lt Gen Munir entered the service via the Officers Training School programme in Mangla, and was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment.

He has been a close aide of Gen Bajwa ever since he commanded troops in the Force Command Northern Areas as a brigadier under the outgoing army chief, who was then Commander X Corps.

Lt Gen Munir was later appointed Military Intelligence director general in early 2017, and in October next year was made the Inter-Services Intelligence chief.

However, his stint as the top intelligence officer turned out to be the shortest ever, as he was replaced by Lt Gen Faiz Hamid within eight months, on the insistence of then-PM Imran Khan.

He was posted as Gujranwala Corps commander, a position he held for two years, before being moved to the General Headquarters as the quartermaster general.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.