Reshuffle: Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani appointed Karachi corps commander
Former Karachi Corps Commander now holds the position of Inspector-General Arms at the GHQ.
Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani along with Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani. PHOTO: ISPR
ISLAMABAD:
Weeks before the imminent change of the army’s top leadership, a reshuffle was ordered in the country’s corps commanders and at the GHQ on Tuesday.
Quartermaster General Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani has been appointed the new Karachi corps commander, replacing Lt Gen Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry. The latter, meanwhile, now holds the position of Inspector-General Arms at the GHQ. Lt Gen Najib Ahmed stepped into the boots of Lt Gen Ghani as Quartermaster General.
The Formation Commanders’ Conference will be held at the GHQ today (Wednesday), which will be presided over by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Officials say that if Gen Kayani does retire as per schedule – he has formally announced that he does not intend on getting an extension – this would mark his last Formation Commanders’ Conference as army chief.
Interestingly, diplomatic and political circles are divided on the significance of the reshuffle. Many defence analysts believe that these changes are an important development, claiming that the transfers are neither routine nor ordinary, especially when General Kayani has given an official statement of retiring on November 28 this year.
However, as the appointment of the chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be announced next week, some military officials claim that these changes are routine and timely.
Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani had been Quartermaster General for a long time and he had not yet commanded a corps, which is why he was appointed corps commander Karachi, explained an official.
The position of Inspector General Arms had been vacant for some time, and so Lt Gen Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry, now former corps commander Karachi, was given that position. Although these appointments seem mundane, these changes in the military brass cannot be interpreted as scheduled changes given the timing of the announcement.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2013.
Weeks before the imminent change of the army’s top leadership, a reshuffle was ordered in the country’s corps commanders and at the GHQ on Tuesday.
Quartermaster General Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani has been appointed the new Karachi corps commander, replacing Lt Gen Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry. The latter, meanwhile, now holds the position of Inspector-General Arms at the GHQ. Lt Gen Najib Ahmed stepped into the boots of Lt Gen Ghani as Quartermaster General.
The Formation Commanders’ Conference will be held at the GHQ today (Wednesday), which will be presided over by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Officials say that if Gen Kayani does retire as per schedule – he has formally announced that he does not intend on getting an extension – this would mark his last Formation Commanders’ Conference as army chief.
Interestingly, diplomatic and political circles are divided on the significance of the reshuffle. Many defence analysts believe that these changes are an important development, claiming that the transfers are neither routine nor ordinary, especially when General Kayani has given an official statement of retiring on November 28 this year.
However, as the appointment of the chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be announced next week, some military officials claim that these changes are routine and timely.
Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani had been Quartermaster General for a long time and he had not yet commanded a corps, which is why he was appointed corps commander Karachi, explained an official.
The position of Inspector General Arms had been vacant for some time, and so Lt Gen Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry, now former corps commander Karachi, was given that position. Although these appointments seem mundane, these changes in the military brass cannot be interpreted as scheduled changes given the timing of the announcement.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2013.