Brussels, August 16, 2025: Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has firmly rejected speculation about any change in Pakistan’s leadership, calling the rumours “false, baseless, and harmful.”
In an interaction with a senior journalist in Brussels, the army chief declared, “God made me this country’s guardian,” stressing that he seeks no political office. He maintained that political reconciliation will only be possible if all parties extend genuine apologies.
Last month, claims circulated that President Asif Ali Zardari could be forced to resign and replaced by the COAS. Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi dismissed the reports, terming them part of a malicious campaign. “Field Marshal Munir has never desired the presidency, nor is there any such plan,” PM Shehbaz clarified.
On foreign relations, Munir underlined Pakistan’s policy of balance between China and the United States. “We will not sacrifice one friend for another,” he said. Ties with Washington have recently improved under President Donald Trump, who hosted Munir at the White House — a move that unsettled India. Pakistan was also the first country to endorse Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination, which the COAS described as recognition of his “genuine desire for peace.”
Turning to security, Munir warned India against destabilisation through proxies, saying the state would safeguard every Pakistani’s blood as a sacred trust. He also urged Kabul to stop policies that push Taliban fighters into Pakistan.
The COAS praised Prime Minister Shehbaz’s wartime leadership and cabinet resilience, noting the premier’s “18-hour workdays” during the recent conflict. He said India had escalated its proxy war after its defeat in “Marka-e-Haq” by exploiting “Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan.”
During his Brussels visit, overseas Pakistanis gave Field Marshal Munir a hero’s welcome. Defying logistical concerns, he spent hours meeting community members, saying their passion and loyalty could not be ignored.
