New ISI chief: Zaheerul Islam's successor to be named soon

According to a BBC report, army chief General Raheel Sharif will also appoint five new lieutenant generals

KARACHI: The new Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, along with five new lieutenant generals, is likely to be named as soon as next week. 

According to a report published in BBCUrdu, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif wants to promote five major generals to the position of lieutenant generals before naming a new ISI director general.

It is believed the promotions will precede the naming of the successor to DG ISI Zaheerul Islam, so as to allow one of the promoted generals to be in the pool of those to be considered for the top intelligence slot.

Five senior generals, including Islam, will retire in the first week of October. They are Mangla Corps Commander Lieutenant General Tariq Khan, Gujranwala Corps Commander Lieutenant General Saleem Nawaz, Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani and Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani.

While all the positions of the retiring officers hold prime importance, the retirement of the ISI chief is seen as the most crucial development.

The post of ISI chief is the second most important after that of the army chief. Further, the ISI chief is appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the army chief.

Close aides of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claim that the premier and the army chief have not discussed this matter as yet. However, the report added that General Raheel is expected to meet the premier before appointing the five lieutenant generals.

According to the report, the prime minister has considered the names of some officers for the post of ISI chief, including Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Zaman and National Defence University Dean General Javed Iqbal Ramday.

On the other hand, the military is considering Major General Nazeer Butt and Major General Rizwan Akhtar for the top slot.

The retirement of the DG ISI would no doubt test the skills of the prime minister who has the authority to appoint the spy chief, although it appears difficult to believe the federal government would take a decision without the army chief’s consent.

Meanwhile, the retirement of four corps commanders will provide an opportunity to General Raheel to appoint generals of his own choice on key slots. All the four corps commanders who will retire in October were promoted and appointed by the then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

The change in the top military brass comes at a time when the army has constantly been accused of involvement in the current political crisis as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek continue their sit-ins in Islamabad seeking to overthrow the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

Owing to this, the appointments although do not appear suspect, are drawing much attention.