Lt Gen Asim Munir named Pakistan's new army chief

BY S STAFF REPORTER: Lieutenant General Asim Munir was on Thursday appointed as the new chief of army staff of Pakistan, ending weeks of intense speculation and political tussle in the country. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has decided to appoint Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Lt. Gen. Syed Asim Munir as the Chief of the Army Staff using the constitutional authority," Pakistan Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted. "The PM office has received the summary from the Ministry of Defence with a panel of names for the appointment of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Army Staff. The Prime Minister will take a decision on the appointments as per the laid down procedure," the Pakistan prime minister's office said in a statement.