Asim Munir

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah (born 1968) is a Pakistani military officer who is currently serving as Pakistan's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the 11th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan Army concurrently. Prior to becoming the COAS, he was posted at the GHQ as quartermaster general. He is the first army chief of Pakistan who has previously headed both the Military Intelligence and Inter-Services Intelligence. During his early military career, he was posted in Saudi Arabia, where he memorised the Quran and became a hafiz. He received the Sword of Honour for his performance as a cadet in the Officers Training School (OTS), Mangla. He commanded the XXX Corps in Gujranwala from 17 June 2019 to 6 October 2021. He served as the 28th Director-General of the ISI until he was replaced by Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed on 16 June 2019. On 20 May 2025, Munir was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal for his leadership during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict, becoming the second-ever person to attain the rank in Pakistan's history after Ayub Khan, and the only field marshal to serve as the Chief of Army Staff simultaneously. Munir is a recipient of the Hilal-e-Jurat, Pakistan's second-highest gallantry award. On 4 December 2025, he was appointed the first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The post is a dual-hatted role held concurrently with the COAS, with his tenure as COAS recommencing for a five-year term from the date of the CDF notification. Munir's tenure as army chief has included involvement in domestic stability measures, economic initiatives such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council, and regional diplomacy, including mediation efforts during the 2026 Iran war.