Pakistan has recently changed the commander of its Armed Forces with a tradition-filled ceremony showcasing the seamless transition of military leadership. In this case, the outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, will hand over the baton of command to General Asim Munir, chosen by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Ceremony
The event consists of passing the baton from the previous COAS to the incoming one, providing a message to the troops that the command isn’t breaking, only passing along. President Arif Alvi ratified the summary of this appointment. General Asim Munir will be the 17th army chief in Pakistan. The military leadership leaving now will participate in the General Headquarters (GHQ) function. During the ceremony, General Qamar Javed Bajwa requested President Arif Alvi to mention his farewell to the 16th Chief of Army Staff. In this case, the president paid tribute to the outgoing army general for his exceptional services as he defended Pakistan from external and internal threats. There were also best wishes for the future. In the end, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner in honor of General Bajwa.
Lt. General Asim Munir
General Munir was part of the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment in 1986. He completed the 17th Officer’s Training course in Mangla and earned the coveted Sword of Honor. He is now the quartermaster general at the GHQ. Likewise, he graduated from Japan’s Fuji School, Quetta, Malaysian Armed Forces College, and National Defense University in Islamabad. The general also holds the university’s MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management. He has served as director of staff at the Command and Staff College, brigade major in Kel, general staff officer, grade-2, CGS secretariat, and chief of Mangla corps. In addition, he has commanded Northern Areas, Gilgit, and 30 Corps commander, Gujranwala. Other positions he has held include director general of Military Intelligence, and he was appointed director general of Inter-Service Intelligence in 2018. Once he completed two years as a corps commander in Gujranwala, he transferred to the present assignment at GHQ. He will become the first chief who has the MI and the ISI. He is also the only one with the Sword of Honor. General Munir is a sportsman, a reader, and a traveler.
Pakistan Visa
If you’re fascinated by the news of Pakistan, you should allow yourself to travel there to see it. For your trip, you will need a Pakistan Visa. It’s the official travel document to enter Pakistan for tourism reasons. In this case, you must complete an online form with your details, let the experts process your information, and wait for a response in your email. The good news is that iVisa has all the tools to help you with the digital procedure. You will receive all the necessary information for your trip. You only need to show it to airport officers upon arrival in Pakistan.
Additionally, you can talk to their customer service agents anytime with any doubts. There is no longer a need to visit an embassy or consulate because everything is available online. It’s time to explore Pakistan.