Are the COAS presidency rumours true? The military has made it clear they are not. Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has strongly rejected claims that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir plans to become Pakistan’s president.
Speaking to The Economist, the army’s top spokesperson called such COAS presidency rumours “nonsense.” His remarks follow Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s own denial in July. The prime minister had dismissed talk that President Asif Ali Zardari might be asked to step down or that the army chief had any political ambitions.
Calling the claims “mere speculation,” the prime minister said there was no truth to them. “Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to become the president, nor is there any such plan,” he stated. He stressed that President Zardari, Field Marshal Munir, and himself enjoy a relationship based on mutual respect and a shared vision for Pakistan’s development.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also weighed in, calling it a “malicious campaign” against the president, prime minister, and COAS. In a post on X, Naqvi said, “We are fully aware of who is behind this.” He added that there had been no discussion and no such idea about the COAS seeking the presidency.
During the interview, the DG ISPR also addressed tensions with India. Asked how Pakistan would respond to any future aggression, he said Pakistan would strike deep into Indian territory. “We’ll start from the east. They must understand they can be hit everywhere,” he warned.
The comments come after the May confrontation between Pakistan and India. The clash followed an April attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, targeting several Indian military installations.
During the operation, Pakistan shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, and destroyed dozens of drones. The conflict lasted 87 hours and ended on May 10 after a US-brokered ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump had announced the ceasefire on social media, claiming it was the result of his intervention and threats to cut trade talks with India. While India disputed this version, Pakistan acknowledged Trump’s role and even recommended him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for helping defuse the crisis.
The military and government appear united in dismissing the COAS presidency rumours, making it clear that Field Marshal Munir has no political agenda.
