The Pakistani government announced today, Thursday, the appointment of General Asim Munir to the position of Army Commander, which is the most powerful military position in the country, and General Sahar Shamshad to the position of Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chose General Munir using his "constitutional powers," Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb wrote on Twitter.
Mounir is currently working at the Army Headquarters as General Director of Supply and Supply, and is tasked with overseeing supplies for all army units.
President Arif Alvi has yet to agree to this designation.
Alavi is a member of the opposition party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
General Munir previously assumed the presidency of the Military Intelligence Service in 2019, but he was dismissed from this position only 8 months after he was named, at the request of Imran Khan, who was then prime minister, according to local media.
The defense ministry said Munir would replace General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who will retire this month after a six-year tenure in the post.
The two new leaders are expected to take office next Tuesday.
His appointment as the new commander coincides with a rift between the military and former prime minister Imran Khan, who says the military played a role in his ouster this year.
Khan has been leading anti-government protests ever since.
Khan, who was injured in an armed attack this month during anti-government protests, is the latest in a long list of civilian leaders who blame the military for ousting them from power.
This list includes Nawaz Sharif, who is the most incumbent prime minister in the country, as he remained in office for nine years over 3 terms.
Little is known about Munir's political leanings, but analysts have expressed skepticism that the army will be able to fulfill a pledge from former army chief Bajwa to keep the army out of national politics.
The Pakistani army has a great influence on Pakistani political life, especially since it has been in power for more than 37 years since Pakistan's independence in 1947.
Pakistan, with a population of 220 million, has witnessed no fewer than 3 successful military coups and nearly as many failed coup attempts.
Pakistan has been witnessing unrest since Shahbaz Sharif came to power in April, succeeding Imran Khan, who was overthrown by a no-confidence motion after losing the support of the army, which was accused of contributing to his rise to power in 2018.