Pakistan army chief Asim Munir may tighten grip on power: What happened during high-level huddle at Nawaz Sharif's house?

Pakistan army chief Asim Munir (L) with PM Shehbaz Sharif (AFP)

Is Pakistan army chief Asim Munir set to lead the country's military well beyond 2030? According to a CNN-News18 report, sources have said that Pakistan's civilian and military leadership have proposed a 10-year strategic power plan with an eye on “continuity of the system" and long-term political and economic stability in the country.

Sources said that the decision was taken during a closed-door meeting held at the private farmhouse of former PM and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in Murree. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Field Marshal Asim Munir and ISI Director General Lt Gen Asim Malik had attended the meeting.

During the meeting, there was a consensus on a 10-year “continuity of the system" plan to ensure stability in the country. Notably, though all Pakistani prime ministers are elected with the blessing of the military chief, no premier in the country has ever completed his full tenure in office.

The new plan, if enforced, indicates how Munir is planning to tighten his grip on power and deepen his relationship with the Shehbaz Sharif government, which was installed to keep former PM Imran Khan away from power.

The report said that as per the plan, Field Marshal Asim Munir will be reappointed as the Chief of Army Staff. His current term is scheduled to end on November 28, 2025.

Sources said that Munir, who was originally appointed in 2022 for a three-year tenure, will now likely get a five-year extension under amendments made to the Pakistan Army Act of 1952. His predecessor Qamar Javed Bajwa served as the army chief for six years after getting a three-year extension in 2019.

Sources told CNN-News18 that a formal notification for Munir's reappointment is likely soon and constitutional protections are also being explored to shield the extension from legal challenges.

The high-level meeting in Murree is also learnt to have reaffirmed Pakistan’s hybrid civil-military governance framework, under which critical national decisions — including senior military appointments — are to be made through consensus between political and military leadership.

It was also discussed that vital posts such as the Director General of ISI, DG Military Intelligence, and DG-C (Counterintelligence) within the Inter-Services Intelligence would be filled jointly. The arrangement, officials noted, aims to preserve “institutional balance and shared control” between the civilian government and the military establishment.

The tenure of DG ISI Lt Gen Asim Malik, who also doubles as National Security Adviser, is due to end in October. However, according to insiders, the leadership is considering granting him an extension to ensure continuity in the intelligence and security apparatus.

The Murree huddle also deliberated on the political future of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, who faces multiple convictions. Sources said the leadership was unequivocal in its stance: “No relief or political concessions for Imran Khan.”

Asim Munir has been expanding his influence of power in Pakistan ever since he emerged as the face of the four-day military conflict with India in May. He was elevated to the Field Marshal rank shortly afterwards, only the second man in Pakistan to hold the coveted rank.

He has also led several diplomatic missions since May, including two visits to US, which included a two-hour-long lunch with President Donald Trump.