RAWALPINDI,: Outgoing Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over the command stick to new army chief General Asim Munir symbolizing the change of command.
General Asim Munir assumed charge as the 17th Chief of Army Staff at an impressive change of command ceremony at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Earlier, General Asim Munir and General Qamar Javed Bajwa laid floral wreath at the martyrs’ monument.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa was presented a farewell salute after he passed the baton of command to Gen Asim Munir.
The ceremony was attended by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Air Chief Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, high ranking civil and military officials and foreign delegates
Interior minister Rana Sana Ullah, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, finance minister Ishaq Dar and information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also attended the ceremony.
Metro bus and mobile phone service was suspended in the specific areas of Rawalpindi on the occasion. Stringent security measures were taken.
Gen Munir entered the service via the Officers Training School (OTS) programme in Mangla and was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment.
Gen Munir commanded troops in the Force Command Northern Areas as a brigadier under Gen Bajwa, who was then Commander X Corps. He was appointed the DG of the Military Intelligence in early 2017 and then ISI Director General in October 2018.
Eight months later, Gen Munir was posted Gujranwala Corps Commander. He was moved to the GHQ as Quartermaster General two years later.
Gen Asim Munir is the recipient of the Sword of Honour from the 17th course of the Officers Training School in Mangla. Also, he is the recipient of the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
He is a ‘Hafiz-e-Quran’ who memorized the Quran during his posting in Saudi Arabia as Lt Colonel.