Profiles

From Tokyo to Tampa: the rise and rise of Asim Munir

After Pakistan’s recent military tensions with India, Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir emerged as a powerful and stabilising force. Who is he?

From Tokyo to Tampa: the rise and rise of Asim Munir

Kamal Alam

last update on 08 Jun 2025

A few weeks ago, the world briefly turned its attention to a conflict other than Gaza or Ukraine. Whenever India and Pakistan face-off, the spectre of nuclear war looms large. But this time, according to both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the two countries truly came to the brink. Thankfully, a frantic 24-hour bout of American phone diplomacy helped broker a ceasefire, ending days of air strikes and drone attacks deep inside each other’s territories.

While both claimed to have had the upper hand militarily, the man whose star rose immeasurably is Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Florida (Washington’s primary interlocutor with Pakistan), Munir was already seen as a pillar of regional stability across West Asia and the Middle East. Now, the world is taking note.

Humble beginnings

Pakistan’s army chiefs frequently appear on Forbes and Time Magazine lists of global power players, given that they command 700,000 fighters and nuclear weapons. With longstanding ties to Saudi Arabia, China, and the US military, post-holders attract considerable international interest every three to six years, as terms come to an end.

Munir’s path to the top has been anything but conventional. For instance, he is Pakistan’s first madrassa-educated army chief, in contrast to predecessors schooled at elite British-era boarding schools or military-run cadet colleges. He is also the first to graduate not from the prestigious Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, but from the lesser known (and now defunct) Mangla Officers Training School.

Munir is Pakistan's first army chief educated at a madrassa, not an elite British-era boarding school or military-run cadet college

Remarkably, he is the first COAS in over 40 years to have taken command without attending any Western military academies or staff colleges. While his nine predecessors all trained in the UK, US, or Canada, Munir studied instead in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, far away from the prying eyes of Western intelligence. He also spent only a brief stint as head of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), further adding to the intrigue that surrounded his appointment in 2022. Observers in Western capitals are therefore bemused by his rise to the top.

From Tokyo to Tampa

Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM, has met Munir more than half a dozen times in less than three years—a sign of Pakistan's importance as a major non-NATO ally. In annual intelligence briefings on Capitol Hill, questions about Pakistan's nuclear safety and US reliance on Pakistan for security in West Asia and the Middle East regularly arise, especially in light of its close ties with US allies such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.

In 2023, Kurilla openly praised Munir's leadership, telling US elected officials of their "excellent relationship" and praising him for his stabilising effect in a volatile region. He has hosted Munir in Tampa and helped facilitate his political and military engagements in Washington.

Fluent in Arabic and knowledgeable about the dynamics of the Middle East, Munir's experience includes a lengthy stint in Saudi Arabia

Munir's own experience includes a lengthy stint in Saudi Arabia. Fluent in Arabic and knowledgeable about the dynamics of the Middle East, including how that fits into the US-Pakistan security matrix, he has strengthened the strategic fabric of Saudi-Pakistan ties—described by former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki bin Faisal as "probably one of the closest relationships in the world between any two countries without any official treaty".

Gaining power

Wajahat Saeed Khan, a prominent Pakistani journalist, wonders whether Munir is the most powerful army chief in the nation's history. It is a bold question, considering Pakistan's many commanding military figures, including past presidents such as Zia-ul-Haq, Ayub Khan, and Pervez Musharraf. Munir, however, holds the distinction of having led both of Pakistan's two main military intelligence agencies (the ISI and Military Intelligence), a feat unmatched by any predecessor.

Under his command, Pakistan has asserted itself militarily, having hit Afghanistan, Iran, and India in response to provocations. Munir warned Iran not to mess with the Baluch border, ordered the downing of Indian jets, and told the Afghan Taliban to halt cross-border support for militant groups in Pakistan—all bold moves. While it is too early to define his legacy, one thing is clear: he has put the world on notice.

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