Seniority basis: Zafar Abbasi named new naval chief

Incumbent CNS Zakaullah will relinquish command on Saturday

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has approved the appointment of Vice-Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi as the new Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and promoted him to the rank of admiral.

Zafar Abbasi will succeed CNS Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah, who will relinquish the command of Pakistan Navy (PN) on October 7, says a statement issued by Director General Public Relations PN on Tuesday.

The change of command ceremony will be held at PNS Zafar in Islamabad.

The appointment has been made on the advice of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on a summary initiated by the Ministry of Defence. The summary was initiated in terms of Article 243 (4) (c) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.



The Express Tribune had exclusively reported on Sunday that the federal government had decided to prefer seniority factor in naval chief’s appointment. The PM decided to promote Zafar Abbasi as he was the senior-most vice-admiral.

Theoretically, services chiefs’ appointments are notified by the president on the advice of the PM, but practically the PM has the final say in the related appointments since his advice to the president is binding.

At a glance

Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi was commissioned in the Operations Branch of PN in June 1981. He undertook initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, UK. On commissioning, he won the coveted Sword of Honour from PN Academy. During his distinguished career, the admiral attained vast experience of both command and staff appointments.



His command appointments include: Command of Surface ships, Commandant Pakistan Naval Academy, Commander 25^th Destroyer Squadron, DG Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Commander Coast, Commander Logistics, Commander Pakistan Fleet and Command of Multi-National Combined Task Force 150 at HQ NAVCENT Bahrain.

His key staff appointments include: assistant CNS (plans), chief inspector (Navy) and deputy CNS (operations).

Zafar Abbasi is a graduate of National Defence University, Islamabad and Royal Australian Navy Staff College.

In recognition of his meritorious services, the admiral has been awarded Hilal-e-Imtiaz (military).