Express News Service
The newly-appointed Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Asim Munir “may not ramp up issues against India in the immediate future as his hands will be full.”
In an unique chat with The New Indian Express, retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and former Indian excessive commissioner to Pakistan, Sharat Sabharwal, mentioned that Munir may have so many points to take care of that he’ll desist raking up points with India, a minimum of within the close to future.
“Pakistan is mired in a serious political and economic crisis. The image of the Army has taken a beating after the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan — an ouster Imran has attributed to the intervention of the Pakistan military. Terrorism is a big issue and of concern in the tribal belts and Balochistan where the Tehrik-i-Taliban commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban is active. The new COAS will have to help the Army recover their lost image first,” mentioned the previous diplomat.
He added that Munir, a four-star basic, could assist maintain the India-Pakistan ceasefire. The previous ceasefire had collapsed and was restored by the outgoing COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa in February 2021.
Asked about Munir’s equations with Imran, who’s now main the lengthy march and who’s the military’s largest challenger, Sabharwal mentioned that one must wait and see.
“He may not have a happy equation with Imran, who had removed him as Director General, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) seven months into his tenure in 2019 and brought in Faiz Hamid, who had helped Imran in winning elections. (But) For now, Munir will lay off meddling in political affairs of Pakistan and allow politicians to slug it out and discredit themselves. His immediate attention will be to build the image of the military,” mentioned Sabharwal.
Munir has the excellence of being Director General, Military Intelligence, a submit he held from early 2017 for a interval of 21 months. In October 2018, he turned Director General, ISI however was faraway from the submit by Bajwa on the asking of Imran, the then Prime Minister.
Sabharwal mentioned regardless of this, General Bajwa is assured of an honourable exit given the truth that the Pakistan military works like a “trade union” and protects their very own. “(Remember) They had doubled down to save the former president and COAS Pervez Musharraf,” he reminded.
Musharraf had been sentenced to dying in absentia on treason expenses stemming from his imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan in 2007.
On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Munir to succeed outgoing military chief Gen Bajwa, who in response to knowledgeable sources, had needed Lt. General Azhar Abbas, a three-star basic, to succeed him.
“Bajwa’s equation with Munir is (still) far from cordial. The latter is (the ruling) PMLN’s candidate,” sources said.
ALSO READ | Decision on subsequent Pakistan Army chief being made in London, says Imran Khan
Munir had been promoted to the rank of a three-star basic in September 2018. His tenure was attributable to finish on November 27, across the identical time when incumbent Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza and General Bajwa can be hanging up their uniforms.
The newly-appointed Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Asim Munir “may not ramp up issues against India in the immediate future as his hands will be full.”
In an unique chat with The New Indian Express, retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and former Indian excessive commissioner to Pakistan, Sharat Sabharwal, mentioned that Munir may have so many points to take care of that he’ll desist raking up points with India, a minimum of within the close to future.
“Pakistan is mired in a serious political and economic crisis. The image of the Army has taken a beating after the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan — an ouster Imran has attributed to the intervention of the Pakistan military. Terrorism is a big issue and of concern in the tribal belts and Balochistan where the Tehrik-i-Taliban commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban is active. The new COAS will have to help the Army recover their lost image first,” mentioned the previous diplomat.
He added that Munir, a four-star basic, could assist maintain the India-Pakistan ceasefire. The previous ceasefire had collapsed and was restored by the outgoing COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa in February 2021.
Asked about Munir’s equations with Imran, who’s now main the lengthy march and who’s the military’s largest challenger, Sabharwal mentioned that one must wait and see.
“He may not have a happy equation with Imran, who had removed him as Director General, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) seven months into his tenure in 2019 and brought in Faiz Hamid, who had helped Imran in winning elections. (But) For now, Munir will lay off meddling in political affairs of Pakistan and allow politicians to slug it out and discredit themselves. His immediate attention will be to build the image of the military,” mentioned Sabharwal.
Munir has the excellence of being Director General, Military Intelligence, a submit he held from early 2017 for a interval of 21 months. In October 2018, he turned Director General, ISI however was faraway from the submit by Bajwa on the asking of Imran, the then Prime Minister.
Sabharwal mentioned regardless of this, General Bajwa is assured of an honourable exit given the truth that the Pakistan military works like a “trade union” and protects their very own. “(Remember) They had doubled down to save the former president and COAS Pervez Musharraf,” he reminded.
Musharraf had been sentenced to dying in absentia on treason expenses stemming from his imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan in 2007.
On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Munir to succeed outgoing military chief Gen Bajwa, who in response to knowledgeable sources, had needed Lt. General Azhar Abbas, a three-star basic, to succeed him.
“Bajwa’s equation with Munir is (still) far from cordial. The latter is (the ruling) PMLN’s candidate,” sources said.
ALSO READ | Decision on subsequent Pakistan Army chief being made in London, says Imran Khan
Munir had been promoted to the rank of a three-star basic in September 2018. His tenure was attributable to finish on November 27, across the identical time when incumbent Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza and General Bajwa can be hanging up their uniforms.
