Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir Shuts Down Presidential Rumors: ‘I Am a Soldier’
Pakistan’s top military leader, General Asim Munir, has publicly dismissed any political aspirations, directly addressing persistent social media rumors suggesting he could be positioned to become the country’s next president.
In a recent conversation with Suhail Warraich, a columnist for the Jang media group, General Munir stated his role is divinely appointed. “God has made me protector of the country. I do not desire any position other than that,” he said during a meeting in Brussels. According to the report by the Pakistani newspaper, Munir further emphasized his identity as a military man, adding, “I am a soldier and my greatest desire is martyrdom.”
These remarks aim to quell a surge of online disinformation that has gained traction due to historical instances of military intervention in Pakistan’s political affairs. In his Saturday column, Warraich confirmed that General Munir unequivocally denied the speculation, stating that during their two-hour meeting, the army chief called the rumors about a leadership change involving President Asif Ali Zardari “completely false.”
The army’s leadership has also officially refuted the claims. In an August 7 interview with the state-run broadcaster PTV, Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry described the talk of Munir becoming president as “completely baseless,” reinforcing the general’s personal denial.