Will Field Marshal Asim Munir be Pakistan’s next president?

Dubai: As Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir basks in national acclaim following his leadership during a major military conflict with India, political circles and media commentators have begun to speculate: Could the Army Chief be eyeing the presidency?

The answer from both the military and civilian leadership is a resounding no.

In an interview with The Economist, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, directly addressed the rumours, calling them “nonsense.”

“There is no truth whatsoever to suggestions that the Army Chief seeks the presidency,” Chaudhry said, brushing aside the speculation as entirely baseless.

This comes after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself also moved to put the rumours to rest last month, calling the claims “mere speculation.”

“Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to become the president, nor is there any such plan in the offing,” Sharif said earlier.

He stressed that he, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Field Marshal Munir share a working relationship rooted in mutual trust and a collective commitment to national progress.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a post on X, went further, labelling the talk a “malicious campaign” and accusing unnamed political actors of trying to sow discord between the top leadership.

“There has been no discussion, nor does any such idea exist, about the president being asked to resign or the COAS aspiring to take over the presidency,” Naqvi declared.

The speculation intensified after the government conferred the rare and prestigious title of Field Marshal on General Asim Munir in May 2025. It was the highest recognition of his role in leading Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, during recent Pakistan-India conflict.

The cabinet-approved promotion made him only the second officer in Pakistan’s history to achieve the rank, following General Ayub Khan who had promoted himself to this ranks and then did go on to become president after staging a coup in 1958.

However, Pakistani top officials have clarified that General Munir’s elevation has no political motive and does not hint at a shift toward a power grab.

The rank of Field Marshal is honorary and largely ceremonial. It does not grant any additional authority over operational military decisions or political matters. The role is awarded in recognition of exceptional wartime service and is derived from British military tradition, which Pakistan inherited.

General Munir is one of the most decorated officers in Pakistan’s military. He began his career at the Mangla Officers Training School, where he was awarded the Sword of Honour, the highest military training distinction. He has served in high-stakes command and intelligence positions, including as Director General of both Military Intelligence (MI) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He assumed command as Army Chief in November 2022 and led the military during critical national security challenges.

Despite his elevated military stature, Field Marshal General Munir holds no legal path to the presidency under Pakistan’s constitution, at least not without a major political shift or military interference, which current leadership insists is off the table.

The office of the President remains a civilian role, elected through parliamentary vote, and is largely ceremonial in function. Meanwhile, real executive power resides with the Prime Minister.