Islamabad: Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Wednesday extended felicitations to Chairman Joint Chief of Army Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on their promotion.
In a Twitter message, Imran Khan hoped that the new military leadership would end the lack of trust between the nation and the state created in the last eight months.
Imran Khan also shared a quote from Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah regarding the “duty” of the armed forces.
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“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 quote said.
چیئرمین جوائنٹ چیفس آف سٹاف کمیٹی اور چیف آف آرمی سٹاف کےمنصب سنبھالنےپرجنرل ساحرشمشادمرزا اورجنرل سیّدعاصم منیر کومبارکبادپیش کرتاہوں۔امیدہےکہ نئی عسکری قیادت ملت وریاست کےمابین گزشتہ8ماہ میں جنم لینےوالےاعتمادکےفقدان کےخاتمےکی سبیل کرےگی۔قوتِ ریاست عوام ہی سےکشید کی جاتی ہے pic.twitter.com/cDC3L0jTYh
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 30, 2022
General Asim Munir takes charge as Pakistan’s 17th army chief
General Asim Munir Tuesday assumed charge as the 17th army chief of Pakistan at a ceremony held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
Outgoing army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa formally handed over the “baton of command” to General Asim Munir at the ceremony, which was attended by senior serving and retired officers, diplomats as well as government functionaries.
He also congratulated General Asim on his promotion and hoped that the latter’s promotion would be a cause for the progress of the country and the army.
“I have full faith that under his leadership army will reach new heights and his appointment will prove to be a positive for the country,” said General Bajwa. He added that he was happy to know that he was retiring by handing the army to an able officer like General Munir.
Govt picks Gen Asim Munir as the new Army Chief
After weeks of confusion over the appointment of the next army chief, the dust finally settled down last week, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chose General Asim Munir, who was the senior-most Lt. General on the summary for the appointment, to succeed incumbent COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The summary of General Asim Munir’s appointment was ratified by President Arif Alvi on the same day.
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The summary forwarded by the GHQ to the federal government for the appointment of the next COAS had six names. Of the six potential candidates, General Asim was the senior-most officer.
Gen Asim Munir will be the new Army Chief
Gen Asim Munir joined the Pakistan Army from the Mangala Officers Training School program. He then became a commissioned officer in the Frontier Force Regiment.
He also commanded the Northern Areas Force as a brigadier. In 2017, was appointed the Director-General of Military Intelligence. In 2018, he was chosen as the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).