Pakistan
Pakistan appoints Lieutenant General Asim Munir as next army chief
Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistan government Thursday appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir as chief of the army, media reported.
Munir, who previously served as the Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), would replace General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan’s defence ministry said.
Bajwa is superannuating on November 29 after a term of six years, including a three-year extension. He had ruled out seeking another extension.
Pakistan's army is said to control the elected governments of the nuclear-armed country and executed several coups in the past.
The new army chief’s appointment comes amid allegations that the army played a role in toppling the Imran Khan-led regime earlier this year.
"It is based on merit, law and as per the constitution," Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The army chief of the South Asian nation always has a strong bearing on the direction of its ties with countries like China and the United States and its already fragile relationship with immediate neighbour India.
According to the Reuters report, outgoing chief General Bajwa, on Wednesday, called Imran Khan’s accusations that a US-backed conspiracy ousted his government "fake and false".
He maintained that the military would have no role in national politics in the future.
Imran Khan, who was wounded in a gun attack earlier this month during anti-government protests, is scheduled to lead a protest rally on Sunday in Rawalpindi where the Pakistani army is headquartered.
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