Lt Gen Asim Munir front-runner for new ISI chief

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to appoint Lt Gen Asim Munir as the new head of Inter-Services Intelligence who will succeed former ISI Director General (DG) Lt Gen (r) Naveed Mukhtar.

The appointment of the new spy chief is considered as one of the most crucial decisions to be made by PM Khan.

Lt Gen Munir has previously served as the DG of Military Intelligence (MI).

On Friday, Lt Gen Munir was among the six major generals of the Pakistan Army to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

Maj Gen Shaheen Mazhar, Maj Gen Nadeem Zaki Manj, Maj Gen Abdul Aziz, Maj Gen Asim Munir, Maj Gen Adnan and Maj Gen Waseem Ashraf were promoted as lieutenant generals, according to the ISPR.

Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar retired on Monday after serving the Pakistan Army for 35 years.

He had become the spy chief after taking charge in 2016 when he was transferred to the head the intelligence directorate. He was serving as the Karachi Corps Commander before that.

Peshawar 11 Corps Commander Lt Gen Nazir Butt, Commander of Army Strategic Force Command Lt Gen Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain, Military Secretary at the GHQ Lt Gen Ghayur Mahmood and Training and Evaluation Inspector General Lt Gen Hidayatur Rehman also retired on Monday.

Earlier this week, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa along with the Lt Gen Mukhtar had met PM Khan. The meeting had presumed to discuss the appointment of new ISI chief.