Lt. Gen. Asim Munir appointed by PM Shehbaz Sharif as the new COAS

Lt. Gen. Asim Munir was named by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the next chief of army staff (COAS) on Thursday, ending weeks of heated rumor and conjecture.

The announcement was made on Twitter by Marriyum Aurangzeb, minister of information, who stated that the appointment was made by the premier in accordance with his constitutional authority.

Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, she added, had been chosen to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee is a forum between the three military services that promote collaboration.

The CJCSC also acts as the prime minister’s and the National Command Authority’s top military advisor.

She continued by saying that President Arif Alvi had received a summary of the same.

Minutes after the COAS announcement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif addressed the media, saying that the problem had been resolved in accordance with the law and the Constitution and urging the country to avoid seeing it through a “political lens.”

He expressed the hope that the president will support the premier’s counsel and refrain from labeling the selections as “controversial.”

In order to “avoid a controversy,” the defence minister emphasized that the president should accept the premier’s recommendation.

“This will also help our country and the economy to get on track. Currently, everything is at a standstill.”

He tweeted the same sentiment, stating that the president had been given the recommendation.

Imran Khan, the former prime minister, would now face a test in which he could either enhance the institution in charge of defending the nation or cause controversy, he continued.

“This is also a test for President Alvi, whether he will follow political advice or the constitutional and legal advice,” he said.

“As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, it is his duty to protect the country from political conflicts,” he said about President Alvi.

To read our blog on “Defence Ministry sent a summary to PM office for COAS selection,” click here.