Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided on Thursday that Lt Gen Syed Asim Munir will be the next army chief and Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza will be the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), putting an end to rumours that had been going around for days.
PM Shehbaz Picks Lt Gen Asim Munir
Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb made the announcement in a tweet in which she said that the summary had been sent to President Alvi.
وزیراعظم پاکستان محمد شہباز شریف نے آئینی اختیار استعمال کرتے ہوئے لیفٹنٹ جنرل ساحر شمشاد مرزا کو چئیرمین جوائنٹ چیفس آف سٹاف اور لیفٹنٹ جنرل سید عاصم منیر کو چیف آف دی آرمی سٹاف مقرر کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ اس بابت سمری صدر پاکستان کو ارسال کر دی گئی ہے۔
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) November 24, 2022
“Using his constitutional authority, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has decided to name Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Lt. Gen. Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of the Army Staff.”
Based on the list of seniority, Lt. Generals Asim Munir, Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Azhar Abbas, Numan Mahmud, and Faiz Hameed were all in the running for the job of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and army chief.
“Examination for Imran”
Defense Minister Khwaja Asif also confirmed that “the advice has been sent to President Alvi,” indicating that the final stages of the appointment of the new army chief have been reached.
The minister added, “Imran Khan must now decide whether he wants to strengthen the institution of homeland defence or make it controversial.”
ایڈوائس صدر علوی کے پاس چلی گئی ھے.اب عمران خان کا امتحان ھے وہ دفاع وطن کے ادارے کو مضبوط بنانا چاہتا ھے یا متنازعہ. صدر علوی کی بھی آزمائش ھے کے وہ سیاسی ایڈوائس پہ عمل کرینگےیاآئینی وقانونی ایڈوائس پہ. بحیثیت افواج کےسپریم کمانڈرادارے کو سیاسی تنازعات سےمحفوظ رکھنا انکا فرض ھے
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 24, 2022
“It is also a test for President Alvi to determine whether he will follow political or constitutional and legal advice, he said. It is his responsibility as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to protect the nation from political conflicts “.
The defence minister had hinted to journalists outside the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Wednesday that the new army chief may be appointed before PM Shehbaz leaves for Turkey on November 25.
See More: In 2016 General Qamar Javed Bajwa Appointed Pakistan Army Chief
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