EXPLAINED: Pakistan's ex-spy agency ISI head, know all about Lt Gen Asim Munir

Chandigarh, November 24

Lt Gen Asim Munir is a former head of Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.

He was on Thursday named as Pakistan new Army chief. He succeed incumbent General Qamar Javed Bajwa , 61, who is scheduled to retire on November 29 after a three-year extension.

Lt Gen Munir entered the service-via the Officers Training School programme and was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment.

He has been a close aide of Gen Bajwa ever since he commanded troops in the Force Command Northern Areas as a brigadier under the outgoing army chief, who was then Commander X Corps.

Lt Gen Munir was later appointed Military Intelligence director general in early 2017, and in October next year was made the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief.

However, his stint as the top intelligence officer turned out to be the shortest ever, as he was replaced by Lt Gen Faiz Hamid within eight months, on the insistence of then-PM Imran Khan.

He was posted as Gujranwala Corps commander, a position he held for two years, before being moved to the General Headquarters as the quartermaster general.

The powerful Army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.

There has been extraordinary interest in the appointment of Bajwa’s successor as many believe ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s long march is linked to the change of command in the Army.

He has asked his supporters to gather in Rawalpindi on November 26, two days before Gen Bajwa hands over the baton to the new Army chief. With PTI inputs