Lt. Gen. Asim Munir appointed new ISI chief

RAWALPINDI: Lieutenant General Asim Munir has been appointed the new Director General of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),  according to a statement of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

PM Khan was due to appoint the new head of the ISI after the incumbent chief of the country’s spy agency, Lt-General Naveed Mukhtar, retired on Oct 1.

Read: ISI is Pakistan’s first line of defence: PM Imran

Traditionally, the coveted slot of DG ISI, considered the most powerful after the army chief’s post, goes to a three-star general with a considerable experience of the field.

In addition, Maj Gen Shaheen Mazhar has been appointed as Corps Commander Peshawar, Maj Gen Nadeem Zaki appointed Corps Commander Mangla, Maj Gen Abdul Aziz made Military Secretary General Headquarters (GHQ), Maj Gen Adnan appointed Vice Chief of General Staff and Maj Gen Waseem Ashraf made IG Arms.

Both Gen Zaki and Gen Munir have served as DG military intelligence.

The outgoing DG ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar is a graduate of the Command and Staff College Quetta. He assumed the charge of country’s premier spy agency on December 11, 2016.

He had commanded a mechanised division and served as director general of Rangers before being promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and posted as corps commander of Karachi in September 2014,

On Sept 12 last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan had visited the headquarters of the ISI where he was briefed on the national security.

PM Imran lauded contributions of ISI towards national security especially in the ongoing counter terrorism effort. “ISI is our first line of defence and stands out as the best intelligence agency of the world,” said PM Khan.

He further said that government and people of Pakistan firmly stand behind the armed forces and intelligence agencies, and greatly acknowledge the unprecedented achievements of these institutions.