WASHINGTON: US General Michael “Erik” Kurilla congratulated Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on his new position during a video teleconference.
Gen Kurilla met with COAS General Munir to discuss US-Pakistan security cooperation efforts and bilateral relationship strengthening.
General Asim Munir and General Kurilla had a previously established relationship from General Kurilla’s time as Centcom chief of staff, according to a statement from US Centcom spokesman Col Joe Buccino.
General Asim Munir assumes command of the army.
Gen Munir assumed command of the Pakistan Army on November 29, after former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over the baton of command at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
With the change of command, Gen Munir became Pakistan’s 17th army chief.
In 1986, Gen Munir was commissioned into the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment. He graduated from the 17th Officers Training Course, Mangla, and received the coveted sword of honour.
He was the quartermaster general at the General Head Quarters before taking command.
Prior to becoming COAS, Gen Munir served as a directing staff in the Command and Staff College in Quetta, as a brigade major of a deployed infantry brigade in Kel, as a general staff officer, grade-2, in the CGS secretariat, and as the chief of staff of the Mangla corps.
The incoming army chief previously held the position of Director-General of Military Intelligence (MI).
Gen Munir was appointed director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 2018 and later transferred to Gujranwala as corps commander.
After commanding the Gujranwala corps, he was assigned as quartermaster general, his final assignment before becoming COAS.
Gen Munir attended Fuji School in Japan, the Command and Staff College in Quetta, the Malaysian Armed Forces College in Kuala Lumpur, and the National Defence University in Islamabad.
The general also holds a M Phil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from the National Defence University.
Gen Munir is the first army chief to have led both the MI and the ISI. He is also the first army chief to receive the Sword of Honour.
Gen Munir enjoys sports, reading, and travel.
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