Field Marshal Asim Munir appointed as Chief of Defence Forces

ISLAMABAD:  The Ministry of Defence has issued the notification for the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of Defence Forces following approval from President Asif Ali Zardari.

 The notification has been released under Article 243 of the Constitution of Pakistan and Clause 8A of the Army Act.

According to the notification, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has been appointed for a tenure of five years.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on his appointment as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces.

Both expressed best wishes for Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

Meanwhile, Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani , Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah , Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi and Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti also congratulated Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on his appointment as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces.

A day earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the summary forwarded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as the Army Chief and Chief of Defence Forces. The Prime Minister had endorsed the appointment and sent the summary to the President.

Under the approved decision, Field Marshal Asim Munir will serve concurrently as Chief of Army Staff as well as Chief of Defence Forces. He becomes the first officer in the country to hold the newly created position of Chief of Defence Forces.