ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Ashraf has opted for a younger lot of major generals who have been promoted and assigned highly sensitive field and intelligence posts in place of the present lot of senior lieutenant generals.
The promotions and postings by the COAS are seen as an aggressive and assertive set of decision-making. Not only did the COAS opt for a younger lot of major generals, he also used his discretion based on merit to select the most suitable candidates for the new assignments. In the process of promoting six major generals to lieutenant generals, 15 major general-level officershave been superseded.
An obvious inference is that the COAS opted for youthful lot of generals who are zealous and have very fresh field exposure and information.
The handling of Karachi situation and Fata situation seems to be one of the cornerstones of the new postings. The posting of recently transferred DG Rangers Sindh and now Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar as DG ISI is a case in point.
It goes without saying that Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar will handle Karachi situation as DG ISI with the best possible field knowledge. Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar brings with him high quality field and academic credentials. Gen Rizwan is graduate of Command and Staff College Quetta, NDU Islamabad, and War Course USA and has commanded an Infantry Brigade and Division in Fata.
The new corps commander Karachi, the youthful Lt Gen Navid Mukhtar has been promoted after superseding a number of major generals and was heading counter terrorism in ISI for almost two years. Gen Navid has in-depth knowledge of the terror groups and networks in Karachi and their linkages in other parts of the country due to his recent assignment in ISI. Gen Navid is graduate of Command and Staff Collage Quetta, NDU Islamabad and War Course USA. He has commanded a Mechanized Division.
The choice of Lt Gen Hidayatur Rahman as new Corps Commander Peshawar seems to have a lot to do with his infantry background and fresh field and academia experience. Presently, he is chief instructor at NDU Islamabad. Gen Hidayat is a graduate of Command and Staff Collage Quetta, NDU Islamabad. He has commanded an Infantry Division.
The new corps commander of strategic Mangla Corps Lt General Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain is graduate of Command and Staff College Quetta, Australia and NDU Islamabad. He has been Military Advisor to Pakistan representative in UN and Military Secretary to President of Pakistan. He commanded an Infantry brigade in FATA and also served as DG Rangers Punjab.
The new Corps Commander Gujranwala Major General Ghayur Mahmood is graduate of Command and Staff Collage Quetta, Kualampur and NDU Islamabad. He has commanded an Infantry Division in Fata. Gen Ghayur has also served as Inspector General Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). He is presently serving as Vice Chief of the General Staff at General Headquarters.
The sixth senior officer to be promoted is Major General Nazir Ahmed Butt who is presently Commandant Pakistan Military Academy Kakul. He is graduate of Command and Staff Collage Quetta and NDU Islamabad. He has been Military Secretary to the Prime Minister and Defence attaché in USA. He has commanded an Infantry Division in Fata.
By giving senior most slots like DG ISI, Corps commander Peshawar, Corps Commander Karachi, Corps Commander Mangla and Corps Commander Gujranwala to newly promoted Lt Generals, the COAS has moved beyond the legacy of his predecessor Gen Ashfaq Kayani in a big way.
Such a departure is also significant due to a number of news reports in local and international media about political maneuvering and backing of political initiatives with the backing of some senior serving and retired officials of Pakistan Army.
Three of the Major Generals promoted to rank of Lieutenant General are from Frontier Force Regiment (FF) to which COAS Gen Raheel Sharif also belongs.
The 15 major generals who have been superseded include Maj Gen Naveed Ahmed, serving as sector commander ISI Sindh, Maj Gen Sohail Abbas Zaidi, DG Technical ISI Islamabad., Maj Gen Shahzad Sikander, DG Works GHQ., Maj Gen Tariq Javed, serving as DG Personnel Admn GHQ. Maj Gen Asghar Nawaz, DG National Logistics Cell (DG NLC), Rawalpindi, Maj Gen Nadir Zeb, DG HRD at IGT&E Branch, GHQ., Maj Gen Muhammad Iqbal Asi, GOC 19th Infantry Division, Swat., Maj Gen Jamil Rehmat Vance, DG Remount, Veterinary and Farms Corps (DG RV&FC) at AG Branch, GHQ., Maj Gen Muhammad Ejaz Shahid, IG Frontier Corps (IGFC Balochistan), Quetta., Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa, DG C4I at IGC&IT Branch, GHQ, Maj Gen Tariq Ghafoor, GOC 14th Infantry Division, Okara., Maj Gen Muhammad Junaid, DG DESTO, Rawalpindi., Maj Gen Iftikhar Ahmad Wyne,, Chief of Staff, Central Command (COS CC), Kharian, Maj Gen Muhammad Salim Raza, DG Air Defence (DG AD) at Arms Branch, GHQ, Maj Gen Muhammad Abid Nazir, Commander, Logistics Area (Comd Log Area), Peshawar.
