COAS Syed Asim Munir rejects rumours about change in national leadership Praises PM Shehbaz Sharif for working 18-hour in a day during conflict with India Says reconciliation in political landscape only possible through genuine apologies from all sides.
ISLAMABAD - Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reportedly has dis-missed speculation regarding a possible change in the country’s leadership, term-ing such reports as baseless and contrary to the positions of both the government and the military establishment.
In his first interaction with journalist, Sohail Waraich in Brussels, the army chief said he had no personal political ambitions, stressing: “God made me this country’s guardian.” He added that he had never sought any position outside his current office.
Rumours circulating last month suggested that President Asif Ali Zardari might be asked to step down, with speculation that the COAS could assume the presidency. Both Prime Min-ister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi rejected such claims, describing them as “malicious campaigns.”
Field Marshal Munir said reconciliation in Pakistan’s political landscape could only be achieved through “genuine apologies” from all sides. He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his commitment during recent crises, noting that the premier had worked“18-hour days” during the conflict with India.
The army chief further addressed foreign policy, underlining that Pakistan would continue to maintain balanced relations with both the United States and China. “We will not sacrifice one friend for the sake of another,” he said.
He noted that ties with Washington had improved since US President Donald Trump as-sumed office, citing his recent invitation to lunch at the White House as a sign of warming relations. Munir added that Pakistan had been the first country to endorse Trump’s nomi-nation for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move he said was now gaining wider international support. On regional security, he warned India against attempts to destabilise Pakistan through proxies, particularly after what he described as India’s defeat in the “Marka-e-Haq” conflict. He also urged the Afghan government to stop policies that, in his view, were pushing militants across the border into Pakistan.
Also, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has issued special instructions regarding the rehabilitation of flood affected people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to security sources, the Army Chief stated that the military deployed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will fully assist in the rehabilitation of people affected by the floods.
Additional army troops are also being deployed in this regard.
The security sources said that Pakistan Army has donated one day’s salary for the reha-bilitation of flood-affected people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It has also allocated one day’s ration, which amounts to over six hundred tons, to help the flood-affected people in the province. Security sources said that the Army Chief has issued special instructions to the Corps of Engineers to expedite the repair of bridges, and where necessary, establish temporary bridges. The Army’s 9th Unit Rescue Sniffing Dog Unit is also being dispatched for search and rescue operations. The Army’s Special Urban Search and Rescue Team has also been deployed on the instructions of the Army Chief.