Islamabad: Time has come for government to make one of most difficult decisions of its tenure. Lt. Gen. Asim Muneer, Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Lt. Gen. Azhar Abbas, Lt. Gen.

Nauman Mehmood, Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Amir are included in list for next Army Chief.

Member of senior federal Cabinet hinted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could begin discussions with allies on appointment by end of August and possibly make a decision by mid-September but flood situation across country could delay process.  However, a source in Pakistan Peoples’ Party informed “Party may not want to be involved as it is prime minister’s prerogative to decide.”  According to Article 243(3) of Constitution, President appoints service chiefs on recommendation of prime minister.

Traditionally General Headquarters lists four to five most senior lieutenant generals, along with their personnel files and proposed them to Ministry of Defence, who sends them to Prime Minister to select officer he finds best suited for role.

Five of ten Army chiefs were appointed by Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister in separate terms. Nawaz Sharif was repeatedly criticised for appointing officers whom he considered as ‘his man’.  Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa appointed in 2016, is set to retire in last week of November. General Bajwa was given an additional term of three years in 2019. Then Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his tenure in August, but Supreme Court later demanded legislation on reappointment of service chiefs. 

Since recommendations and decisions on appointment of two four-star generals are to be made some time in advance, it is up to General Bajwa to decide whether to include their names or not and final decision rests with Prime Minister.

Lt. Gen. Munir entered service through Officers Training School programme at Mangla and was commissioned in Frontier Force Regiment.

Lt Gen Shamshad Mirza is most senior among four candidates of same batch. He belongs to Sindh Regiment, same parent unit as outgoing CJCSC, General Nadeem Raza belongs. He has a wonderful career in military. While Lt Gen. Abbas is most experienced in Indian affairs among current brass.

Currently, he is Chief of General Staff (CGS), effectively running Army with direct supervision of both Operations and Intelligence Directorates at GHQ. Kashmir. While Lt. Gen. Nouman Mahmood belonging to Baloch Regiment, Lt. Gen. Mahmood is currently President of National Defense University. He also has extensive experience as Chief Instructor at Command and Staff College, Quetta. XI Corps to Lt. Gen.

Faiz Hameed. While Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed also belongs to Baloch Regiment and is most talked about contender for top post.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 29 2022

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