In an important phase of high-level promotions and appointments in the Pakistan Army, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Major General Omer Ahmed Bukhari and Major General Inayat Hussain have been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has appointed the newly promoted officers to their new posts. Lt Gen Omer Bukhari will now serve as Commander 11 Corps (Peshawar) and Lt Gen Inayat Hussain as chief of logistics services (GHQ).
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry will continue performing his duties as DG ISPR.
In another significant development, Lt General Nauman Zakria, the chief of logistics staff, has been posted as the commander of the Mangla Corps, filling the vacancy left by the early retirement of Lt Gen Ayman Bilal Safdar. Lt Gen Zakria has been replaced by another newly promoted officer, Lt Gen Inayat Hussain, who previously served as a major general and vice chief of general staff (bravo).
The current Adjutant General, Lt Gen. Asim Malik has been posted as Corps Commander, Mangla Corps Asim Malik was in the run for appointment as DG ISI earlier. Malik is from 12 Baloch – 80 PMA Long Course.
Mangla Corps Commander, next in line to COAS, forced to retire for opposing General Asim Munir
The Mangla command had fallen vacant when Lieutenant General Ayman Bilal Safdar Warraich, in line to be the next army chief, unexpectedly retired. Reports suggested he was mandatorily retired and called to headquarters on April 4th. He left his post without ceremony and reportedly travelled to Saudi Arabia. The reasons for his departure are unclear. Some reports claim disagreements with the current army chief on policy and the military’s political involvement.
In the 84 Long Course, Lt Gen Bukhari was awarded the Sword of Honour. Lt Gen Hussain, who belongs to Hunza, has received the presidential gold medal. Before their promotions as three-year generals, both performed duties as vice chief of general staff at the GHQ. However, there was no official announcement of the promotions.
Lt. Gen. Hussain has served as Vice Chief of General Staff, Chief Instructor at National Defense University and Commanding Officer, Gwadar. He was the Commander of 102 Brigade, Peshawar when the terrorists killed students of the Army Public School in 2014.
May 11, 2024
Source: The News International