Asim Munir next Pakistan president? 'Baseless', says army; dismisses social media speculation

The Pakistan Army on Wednesday firmly dismissed as "baseless" speculation that its Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir is seeking to become the country’s next president, amid persistent rumours circulating on social media.

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"Talks about Field Marshal Asim Munir becoming the president are completely baseless," said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in an interview with The Economist, a clip of which was shared by the state-run PTV on social media.


Chaudhry asserted that "the army chief has no interest in the presidency and no such proposal is under consideration."

The clarification comes after weeks of unverified reports suggesting Munir might replace the incumbent President, Asif Ali Zardari. Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi had previously dismissed the rumours as a “malicious campaign” aimed at spreading "political instability."

In May, Munir was elevated to the rarely conferred rank of Field Marshal following a brief four-day conflict with India. The move, which made him only the second five-star officer in Pakistan’s history after Ayub Khan, was widely viewed as a signal of the army chief further consolidating his authority.

In a country where the army chief's position is the most powerful, and no civilian prime minister has completed a full term, the elevation was seen by many as a clear assertion of the military's primacy over the political leadership.