'Asim Munir has no such plans': Shehbaz Sharif denies military coup build-up in Pakistan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has responded to rumours about a possible change in leadership, rejecting claims that President Asif Ali Zardari might step down or that Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is aiming to take over the presidency.

He spoke about this on Saturday (July 12) while discussing the recent four-day clash between India and Pakistan, during which he said 55 Pakistani citizens lost their lives.

“Field Marshal Asim Munir has never expressed any desire to become the president, nor is there any such plan in the offing," he said in an interview with The News.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also criticised what he called a “malicious campaign” targeting Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders.

In a post on X, Naqvi suggested that foreign groups were behind the dissemination of these rumours and said the government knows who is responsible for pushing this narrative.

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Asim Munir, who became army chief in 2022, had his original three-year term extended by two years. However, he later promoted himself to the rank of field marshal after the conflict with Pakistan, signalling his intent to strengthen his grip on power.

On a potential nuclear exchange with India

Sharif also rejected suggestions that the recent conflict with India could lead to a nuclear exchange. He said Pakistan’s  nuclear weapons are meant only for peaceful purposes and self-defence, ’ not for aggression'.

When asked about the use of nuclear weapons, Sharif stressed, “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and national defence, not for aggression.”

The conflict began after a  terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

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On May 7, Indian forces carried out strikes on nine terror sites, including Bahawalpur, known as a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. These strikes were part of the retaliation for the Pahalgam attack.