Lt Gen Azhar Abbas appointed Chief of General Staff
Lt Gen Azhar Abbas appointed Chief of General Staff in a major reshuffle in the top leadership of the Pakistan army.
Chief of General Staff (CGS) is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army after that of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
The CGS is assigned operational and intelligence matters at the General Headquarters with directorates of Military Operations and Military Intelligence falling under his purview.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday announced:
- Lieutenant General Azhar Abbas has been appointed as Chief of General Staff
He would be the 35th CGS of the army. Lt Gen Azhar Abbas replaces Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who was posted out as commander of Rawalpindi-based 10 Corps — a post previously held by Gen Abbas.
Gen Abbas is from the Baloch Regiment. In past, he has served as commandant of the Infantry School, Quetta, and remained personal secretary [PS(C)] to the then army chief, Gen Raheel Sharif.
Furthermore, he has commanded a division in Murree and worked in Operations Directorate as a brigadier.
- Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza had been posted as Commander Rawalpindi Corp
Gen Mirza is from the Sindh Regiment. He had prior to his CGS posting served as adjutant general.
Earlier he has also served as the Vice Chief of General Staff (A), Director General Military Operations and General Officer Commanding Dera Ismail Khan.
- Lieutenant General Muhammad Chiragh Haider has been appointed Commander as Multan Corps.
Lt Gen Chiragh Haider would, meanwhile, move from DG Joint Staff Headquarters to replace Gen Ashraf at Multan Corps.
Gen Haider is from Frontier Force Regiment.
- Lieutenant General Muhammad Waseem Ashraf has been picked as Director General Joint Staff Headquarters.
Gen Ashraf was commander of Corps-II Multan and the Southern command. He is also from Frontier Force Regiment.
