PM names Sahir Shamshad as CJCSC, Asim Munir as COAS

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (NNI): Shooting down weeks of intense speculations and rumours, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to appoint General Asim Munir as new Army Chief and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and a summary to this effect has been forwarded to the Presidency for approval.
Taking to the twitter on Thursday, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif using his constitutional authority has decided to appoint Lt-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Lt-Gen Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of the Army Staff using the constitutional authority.
In a tweet, she said a summary on these appointments has been sent to the President of Pakistan.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a tweet, said that the advice has now been sent to President Arif Alvi. “Now Imran Khan’s test is whether he wants to strengthen the institution of homeland defence or make it controversial,” he added.
The defence minister said “President Alvi is also being tested here as whether he will follow the political directive or constitutional and legal advice. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, it is his duty to protect the institution from political conflicts.”
Talking to the media after the summary was sent to the Presidency, Khawaja Asif said the matter had been decided in accordance with the law and the Constitution, calling on the public to avoid looking at it through a “political lens”. He said the president is bound to follow the prime minister’s advice.
The defence minister hoped that President Alvi would not make the appointments “controversial” and would endorse the prime minister’s advice.
Khawaja Asif maintained the president should endorse the prime minister’s advice so that a controversy may not stir. He further said “This will also help the country and the national economy to get back on track quickly. At the moment, everything is at a standstill.”
Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir has disclosed that the federal cabinet has nodded to freezing the retirement of Lt-General Asim Munir, who has been picked as the next army chief by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Khurram Dastgir maintained that under Army Act 1952 the prime minister and the defence minister can hold any military officer’s retirement and ask him to continue his job.
The minister said that Lt-General Asim Munirk’s retirement has been held up under the law and the federal cabinet has given its approval to it.
Khurram Dastgir made it clear that President Arif Alvi cannot show the summary about army appointments to PTI chief Imran Khan. “Legally and technically, the president of the state cannot show this summary to any other person,” he said and added “The word ‘secret’ is written on the summary and the president has taken an oath in this regard.”
The minister further said Imran Khan is not qualified to have a look at this summary. “If the president shares this important document with Imran Khan then serious legal questions will be raised,” he reminded the president.
Dastgir recalled that in the past the president had blocked the summary for Punjab governor’s appointment, but in the end the prime minister’s pick for the post became the governor. “The new COAS summary is like the Punjab governor summary,” he delivered his verdict.
He said it was now up the president to amicable settle this issue or add poison of political wrangling.
Lt General Asim Munir is the senior most officer after outgoing Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and is currently serving as Quartermaster General in the Pakistan Army.
Lt-Gen Munir entered the service via the Officers Training School (OTS) programme in Mangla and was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment.
Lt-Gen Munir commanded troops in the Force Command Northern Areas as a brigadier under Gen Bajwa, who was then Commander X Corps. He was appointed DG of the Military Intelligence in early 2017 and then ISI Director General in October 2018.
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’ who memorised the Quran during his posting in Saudi Arabia as Lt Colonel.