Army chief Asim Munir has new job in Pakistan
Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, has been tasked with leading a new government committee aimed at curbing the country's rapid population growth. This move has drawn criticism as the military leader is already managing significant security and economic challenges.
Why it matters
The expansion of the military's role into social policy highlights the ongoing centralization of power in Pakistan's governance structure.
Pakistan army chief Asim Munir is a man who wears many hats in the country. Apart from managing the armed forces, he dabbles in diplomacy (as was seen during the US-Iran mediation) and also steers Pakistan's economic policy. In between, he still finds time to engage in anti-India rhetoric. Now, his list of responsibilities is set to get longer. The Pakistan army chief will now have to curb Pakistan's uncontrolled population growth.This was announced by Pakistani health minister Syed Mustafa Kamal at a Senate meeting earlier this week, according to a report in The Dawn. With a population of over 259 million, Pakistan is presently the fifth-most populous country. It is expected to become the fourth largest, surpassing Indonesia, by 2030.
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