Gen Asim Munir takes charge as Pakistan’s 17th army chief

— New military boss enters office as TTP resumes attacks and PTI weighs dissolving provincial assemblies to force snap elections

ISLAMABAD: The outgoing head of the Pakistan Army, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, passed the baton of command to Gen. Syed Asim Munir on Tuesday, Radio Pakistan reported, amid a deepening political rift between the government and former prime minister Imran Khan, as well as a renewed threat from Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group.

Gen. Munir is the 17th chief of the army since 1947, a period that has seen almost twice as many prime ministers in office. He was quartermaster general — in charge of supplies for the entire army — and served in the northern region, as well as in Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony was held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, four days after the prime minister named Lt. Gen. Asim Munir — who has previously headed both of the nation’s spy agencies — as the chief of the army, following weeks of delay and speculation over who would fill the powerful role.

“It is based on merit, law and as per the constitution,” Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the minister for defence, told reporters after announcing Munir’s appointment.

One of the key challenges faced by the new army chief will be how to respond to the latest threat from the TTP which has ordered its terrorists to resume attacks across the country.

TTP is a separate group but are allies of the Afghanistan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan more than a year ago as the US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened TTP, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in the war-torn country.

The group had agreed to an indefinite cease-fire in May after talks with Islamabad and the military in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. But it, in a statement Monday, ended the ceasefire, vowing new attacks.

Munir’s appointment also coincides with a dispute between the military and Khan, who blames the institution for playing a part in his ouster in April and has been leading anti-government protests since then.

‘MAN OF PRINCIPLE’

The ceremony on Tuesday was attended, amongst others, by members, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) chairman Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, services chiefs, and senior civil and military officials.

In his farewell address, Gen. Bajwa lauded the decision to appoint Gen. Munir’s to the office, expressing confidence that the selection will prove to be positive both for the country and the institution.

He noted that Gen. Munir is a competent soldier and a man of principle, and was confident that under his leadership, the army will achieve more success and be able to better serve and defend the motherland.

Gen. Bajwa said he was honoured to have “served this great institution”. During his six-year tenure as the army chief, the institution tackled challenges such as the volatile situation on the Line of Control (LoC), a rising wave of militancy or natural calamities such as recent floods.

He said he was proud that despite “limited resources”, the army was able to fulfil its responsibility of defending each nook and corner of the country.

He said the Pakistan of today was at peace due to our sacrifices which are also acknowledged by our foes and friends alike.

Earlier, the two generals laid floral wreaths at the martyrs’ monument.

BAJWA’S LEGACY

Appointed chief in 2016, Gen. Bajwa sought to balance ties with China and the United States. While Islamabad moved closer to Beijing, he also worked to thaw relations with Washington, with whom he worked closely during the evacuation of Kabul in 2021 when western forces pulled out of Afghanistan.

He also took an active interest in economic matters, and made highly-publicised visits to Beijing and the Middle East — helping to secure financial assistance for Pakistan. Recently, he also lobbied Washington to help strike a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He even summoned the nation’s top industrialists to a meeting at his office to encourage them to pay more taxes.

During his tenure, Pakistan and India fought air skirmishes in 2019, but he was a public proponent of better ties and avoided escalation when tensions ran high, such as when an Indian missile accidentally crashed into Pakistan early this year.

In early 2021, Gen. Bajwa sanctioned a restoration of a ceasefire agreement with Delhi in the disputed region of Kashmir.

— With input from Reuters and AP

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