The Pakistan Army has strongly denied rumours that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is seeking the office of the President.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has called the speculation “nonsense” in a recent interview with British publication The Economist.

This clear statement from the army’s top spokesperson comes after weeks of media rumours suggesting that President Asif Ali Zardari could be replaced and that the COAS was interested in taking over the presidency. Both civil and military leadership have now come forward to reject such claims.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement last month, had also firmly denied these rumours. Speaking to The News, the premier said that Field Marshal Asim Munir had “never expressed any desire” to become the President and that no such discussions had taken place. He described the reports as “baseless speculation” and emphasized the unity and mutual respect between President Zardari, the COAS, and himself.

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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also weighed in on the matter, calling it a "malicious campaign" on his official social media account. He said that the campaign was aimed at creating divisions among the country’s leadership and that authorities knew who was behind it. Naqvi, known for his close ties with the military, stated clearly that no such plan exists, nor has there been any talk of President Zardari stepping down or the army chief stepping in.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also responded to a question regarding possible future conflicts with India. He warned that if India repeats any act of aggression, Pakistan’s response would be swift and deep. “We'll start from the east. They [India] also need to understand that they can be hit everywhere,” he stated.

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His comments follow the May 2025 military confrontation between India and Pakistan, which was sparked by an attack on tourists in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan, leading to days of military escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries.

In response to India’s actions, Pakistan launched a large-scale retaliatory operation known as Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, which targeted Indian military sites across several regions. Pakistan claimed to have shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, and destroyed dozens of drones. The conflict, which lasted over 87 hours, ended on May 10 with a ceasefire brokered by the United States.

The ceasefire announcement came through then-U.S. President Donald Trump on social media. While India questioned the nature of U.S. involvement, Pakistan acknowledged the American effort and has even recommended Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in calming tensions.