Age, Biography, and Wiki
Asim Munir, born in 1968, is a Pakistani military officer who has served as the 11th Chief of the Army Staff of the Pakistan Army since 2022. He is notable for being the second recipient of the Sword of Honour to rise to the position of army chief in Pakistan's military history. Asim Munir is also the only army chief to have previously served as the head of both Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence.
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Height, Weight & Measurements
There is no readily available information on Asim Munir's height, weight, or other physical measurements.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Information regarding Asim Munir's personal life, including his dating or relationship status, is not publicly disclosed.
They moved to Toba Tek Singh before settling down in Rawalpindi's Dheri Hassanabad. His father, Syed Sarwar Munir, was the principal of the FG Technical High School, Lalkurti, Rawalpindi and the imam of a mosque, Masjid-al-Quraish, situated in a locality of Dheri Hassanabad, where he often delivered the Friday Khutbah sermon. Munir has two siblings, Syed Qasim Munir and Syed Hashim Munir. One of his brothers is a government school teacher.
Munir's tenure as DG-ISI is the shortest in the country's history. It is alleged Munir was removed by Qamar Javed Bajwa under pressure from Imran Khan when Munir claimed to have exposed the corruption of Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi.
However, Khan called this allegation "completely false", further explaining in a post on X that "this is completely false. Neither did Gen Asim show me any proof of my wife's corruption nor did I make him resign because of that."
On 7 April 2024, Imran Khan, speaking to reporters while incarcerated, claimed that there was a conspiracy to assassinate him during his imprisonment and implied that "his fate was in the hands of Gen. Asim Munir". He stated "Let it be known that if anything happens to me or my wife, it'll be him who will be responsible." Khan alleged that his wife, Bushra Bibi had been poisoned during her incarceration in early 2024, however, according to her personal physician, no evidence of poisoning was found during medical checkup.
Khan also alleged that a "London plan" had been devised between Munir and Nawaz Sharif, aimed at sidelining the PTI and resolving the legal cases against Sharif. On 17 April, Imran Khan blamed Munir for the incarceration of his wife, and said, "If anything happens to her, I will not leave Asim Munir, I will not leave Asim Munir as long as I am alive. I will expose his unconstitutional and illegal steps." Bibi was found guilty in a corruption trial and also for unlawfully marrying Khan, each by separate courts. Instead of serving her sentence in Adiala Jail, she was permitted to serve it at her residence in Bani Gala, Islamabad.
Noorani also alleged nepotism in the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi, a close relative of Munir's wife. Naqvi was appointed to prominent roles such as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Interior Minister.
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Net Worth and Salary
General Asim Munir's net worth is estimated to be around $800,000 (approximately 67,754,636 Indian Rupees), according to reports. His salary as the Chief of the Army Staff is PKR 750,000 (approximately $3,150 USD), which equates to a monthly income of about PKR 62,500 (around $260 USD). However, these figures may not reflect his total compensation package or other forms of income.
Career, Business, and Investments
Asim Munir has had a distinguished military career, notable for his leadership roles in the ISI and Military Intelligence. His tenure as Chief of the Army Staff has been marked by efforts to strengthen the economy, including actions against dollar hoarding and the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council. There are reports of General Munir's involvement in business, including real estate interests in Pakistan and potentially abroad.
Munir is from the 17th course of the Officers Training School (OTS) in Mangla. He was commissioned in the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment. He started his military career on 25 April 1986.
Munir is the second recipient of Sword of Honour who has risen to the position of army chief in the military history of Pakistan, after Asif Nawaz Janjua. Additionally, he is the only army chief in the history of Pakistan who has earlier served as chief of both premier military intelligence agencies of Pakistan, namely, Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence.
Significantly, Asim Munir's promotion as Field Marshal makes him as first and only person to serve office of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) with the rank of Field Marshal (five-star General), instead of (four-star General) in the history of Pakistan. Ayub Khan, who was Pakistan's first Field Marshal abandoned the office of the Chief of the Army Staff just after his promotion as Field Marshal on 27 October 1958. However, Munir continues to occupy office of the COAS as (five-star General), making his only person with such distinction.
In November 2024, Asim Munir's tenure as Army Chief was extended from three to five years after Pakistan’s ruling coalition swiftly passed a bill with little debate. The controversial move sparked protests from PTI lawmakers, who accused the government of bypassing democratic processes and suppressing opposition voices. Despite the backlash, the extension secured Munir’s position until November 2027. It took 16 minutes for the senate to pass the amendment into law, which Khan's party lawmaker Omar Ayub termed as bulldozing the legislation by the ruling alliance without any debate in either house.
Munir has been adamant on solving the economic crisis in Pakistan by setting up the Special Investment Facilitation Council, intending to bring in billions of dollars of investment from abroad, especially Pakistan's Gulf allies. The economic crisis, led to the Pakistani rupee devaluing to its weakest in its history, valuing at 308 per dollar. As a measure to strengthen the rupee, he initiated crackdowns on the black market, which had been selling dollars illegally, which was harming the rupee. These crackdowns were successful, and the Pakistani rupee had rebounded to become the world's best-performing currency in September 2023.
In the aftermath of the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict, the Government of Pakistan promoted Munir to the rank of Field Marshal on 20 May 2025, making him the second individual in Pakistan's history to attain the rank after Ayub Khan. Asim Munir's promotion as Field Marshal makes him as first and only military commander in the history of Pakistan who is occupying office of the Chief of the Army Staff(COAS) with the rank of Field Marshal (five-star General), which is a historical depart from a tradition where the COAS often holds a (four-star General rank). Ayub Khan, who was Pakistan's first Field Marshal abandoned office of the Chief of the Army Staff just after his promotion as Field Marshal.
Munir has been a polarising figure. He is applauded by some individuals for cracking down on dollar hoarding and smuggling, which strengthened the Pakistani rupee, causing it to be the world's top-performing currency of September 2023. Additionally, he contributed to the set up of the Special Investment Facilitation Council, which aims to bring billions of dollars of investment from overseas, especially from the Gulf states, that are desperately needed amidst the economic crisis.
On 2 May, Khan conveyed through an article for The Daily Telegraph, that while incarcerated, the military establishment, led directly by Munir, employed various tactics to diminish his party's influence within Pakistan's political landscape. He stated that "the military establishment has done all they could against me. All that is left for them is to now murder me."
Social Network
Asim Munir is not known to maintain a public presence on social networking platforms, which is common for high-ranking military officials.
In summary, Asim Munir's career highlights his significant contributions to Pakistan's military and economic landscapes. His leadership has been marked by both acclaim and controversy, reflecting the complex nature of his role in the country's governance and economy.
While speaking to a gathering of students from various public and private sector universities of the country, Munir appeared as a social conservative, warning the youth against social media and Westernization, eventually asking that "If we want to adopt Western civilization, then why did we get rid of Hindu civilization?".
In May 2024, Munir expressed concerns regarding "negative propaganda" on social media platforms and affirmed the military's readiness to address any threats or conspiracies. He also strongly denounced the dissemination of "disinformation" in Pakistan's cyberspace. Munir emphasized that the military understands its constitutional boundaries, and he urged others to also abide by the limits outlined in the constitution. He pointed to Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which delineates restrictions on freedom of expression, including the prohibition of incitement to violence and attempts to undermine the integrity, security, or defense of Pakistan, among other provisions.
In April 2024, Munir warned that negative propaganda and social media trolls would not be able to deter them. In May 2024, he cautioned that "inimical" forces and their supporters had unleashed "digital terrorism" and were intensifying efforts to sow discord between the Pakistan Armed Forces and the public by spreading "lies, fake news, and propaganda."
In August 2024, Munir warned that social media was being exploited to propagate "anarchy." His remarks that "Anarchy is spread through social media" followed a condemnation by the ISPR of social media campaigns to target the Pakistan Armed Forces. He also issued a warning against efforts to incite chaos within the country. The Tribune (India) highlighted that his comments followed social media posts drawing parallels between Pakistan's current situation and the downfall of Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh.
On August 14, while addressing a parade on country's Independence Day, Munir reiterated his criticism of social media, warning that it was being used to spread chaos and false information targeting the Pakistan Armed Forces. He also attributed this "digital terrorism" to foreign elements.
On 21 August, Munir stated that it is the state's duty to shield the public from the adverse effects of social media-driven "hysteria" and "fitna." Dawn reported that this statement was part of a series of warnings from Munir and the Pakistani military concerning the potential "dangers" with social media.
On 4 November 2024, Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at Washington's Wilson Center, described the extension of Munir's tenure as army chief as a move that strengthens "the most powerful post in Pakistan." He warned on X that "when a legislature is reduced to a rubber stamp, democracy is never a winner."
On 19 May 2023, Zalmay Khalilzad alleged on Twitter that during his visit to the Sialkot Cantonment, where several military installations were targeted in the May 9 riots, Munir issued threats against senior officers. Khalilzad claimed that Munir warned the families of those who participated in the riots, stating that if he "goes down he will take others down with him".
Education
Although specific details about Asim Munir's educational background are not extensively documented, it is typical for senior military officers in Pakistan to have received military training and education through institutions like the Pakistan Military Academy.
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. Munir received the Sword of Honour for his performance as a cadet in the Officers Training School (OTS), Mangla. On 20 May 2025, Munir was promoted to Field Marshal, becoming the second to reach the rank in Pakistan's history after Ayub Khan and only person to serve office of the Chief of Army Staff with Field Marshal rank. The rank of Field Marshal, a prestigious five-star title, sits above that of General.
Munir got his early religious education in a traditional Islamic seminary in Rawalpindi, the Markazi Madrasah Dar-ul-Tajweed, in his youth also being a local cricketer as a fast bowler.
Later, Munir graduated from the Fuji school, Japan, the Command and Staff College, Quetta, the Malaysian Armed Forces College, Kuala Lumpur and the National Defence University, Islamabad, where he earned his MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management.
In an interview with Farhat Javed Rabani of BBC Urdu, Joshua T. White of Johns Hopkins University described Munir's speech—emphasising religious identity and invoking the two-nation theory—as unusually provocative in tone, though aligned with Pakistan's ideological stance. He noted that its delivery just days before the 2025 Pahalgam attack complicated Pakistan's diplomatic posture by undermining claims of restraint. Abdul Basit of Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies observed that while the speech may have reflected an emotionally charged moment, it was also interpreted as an assertion of authority, signalling that the military remained firmly in control. The BBC report noted that no direct link was established between the speech and the attack, though the timing fuelled regional tensions and speculation.
Noorani also alleged that Munir's extended family has been given key positions in both the military and civil sectors since his appointment as Chief of Army Staff. His maternal uncle, Syed Babar Ali Shah, for instance, has been instrumental in influencing high-level appointments in Islamabad, such as that of Ahmed Ishaq Jahangir as Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency. Similarly, Munir's first cousin, Hajra Sohail, reportedly rose from a scholarship manager to the Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, despite lacking prior executive experience.
