What happened: Lieutenant generals Muhammad Amir and Asim Munir have emerged as the front-runners for the position of COAS. But Munir will be retiring on November 27, just a day before General Bajwa’s retirement. He is currently holding the position of Quarter Master General at GHQ and the senior-most of the six lieutenant generals. The general is likely to be appointed as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Other contenders: Lt. Gen. Azhar Abbas on the other hand has the most familiarity with Indian relations. As chief of general staff (CGS), he currently has direct control over the GHQ operations and intelligence directorates, effectively leading the army. Another top contender is Lt. Gen. Amir, a member of the Artillery Regiment who is in charge of the XXX Corps in Gujranwala at the moment. He is regarded as Gen Bajwa’s closest confidant. Who selects? The president chooses the heads of the services on the prime minister’s proposal, as stated in Article 243(3) of the Constitution. What you need to know: Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), was appointed in 2016 and will step down on 28 November. The appointment of the army head is for a period of three years, however following some political commotion in 2019, Gen. Bajwa was awarded an additional three-year tenure.
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