Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif picks Asim Munir as new army chief

Lt. General Asim Munir was named the next Chief of Army Staff by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. As General Qamar Javed Bajwa leaves his post as head of the army, Lt. General Asim Munir takes his place. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza will be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff  Committee (CJCSC). 

“PM of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif has decided to appoint 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," Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb announced.

Bajwa, 61, had been given a three-year extension in 2020, and he plans to retire on November 29 of this year. He is not going to try to get another extension.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff have elected Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza as its chairman (CJCSC).

Once the process of appointing a new Army commander is completed, Pakistan's defence minister has threatened opposition leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan that the coalition government will deal with him.

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During his speech to the Pakistani parliament, he dropped hints that the important appointment will be made public within the following three days.

This comes after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a letter to his country's Defense Ministry on Monday, requesting a list of the best candidates for the position of army chief.

(With inputs from ANI)