Major reshuffle: Four army major generals promoted to next rank

For the first time in military’s history, a three-star general will head ISPR

ISLAMABAD: The Army Promotion Board – headed by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif – on Tuesday approved the promotion of four major generals to the rank of lieutenant generals as part of a major reshuffle ahead of the retirement of key military commanders.

Those who were promoted on Tuesday include Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asim Salim Bajwa, Director General Military Operations Major General Aamer Riaz, Bahawalpur’s General Officer Commanding Major General Sadiq Ali and Vice Chief of General Staff Major General Umer Farooq Durrani.

These promotions were due as four three-star generals are set to retire in October after reaching the age of superannuation. The retiring generals include Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua, Corps Commander Lahore Lt Gen Naveed Zaman, Chief of Logistic Lt Gen Tariq Gilani and Inspector General Arms Lt Gen Ijaz Chaudhry.

Lt Gen Aamer Riaz will now take over as commander Southern Command, considered as one of the important corps battling a low-key insurgency in Balochistan. Lt Gen Sadiq Ali has now been appointed as corps commander Lahore. Similarly, Lt Gen Umar Farooq Durrani has been posted as corps commander Mangla.

Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa will continue to serve as DG ISPR, said the military’s media wing. This is the first time that a three-star general is heading the ISPR.

Lt Gen Bajwa, who has led a military operation in South Waziristan Agency, is credited with leading an effective public relation campaign that has helped improve the image of the army and the public standing of Gen Raheel Sharif. That was the reason why Bajwa’s promotion was a foregone conclusion, although the ISPR is rarely considered for a three-star rank.

In other changes approved by the army chief, Lt Gen Ikram-ul-Haq has been posted as corps commander Gujranwala, Lt Gen Hilal Hussain as commander Army Strategic Force Command and Lt Gen Malik Zafar Iqbal has been given the strategically important Rawalpindi Corps.

The incumbent Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has been sent to the General Headquarters and made inspector general training and evaluation. More transfers and postings in the army are expected in the coming days.

These promotions were due as four three-star generals are set to retire in October after reaching the age of superannuation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2015.