Islamabad: Pakistan`s powerful army chief
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has promoted 29 Brigadiers to the rank of
Major General and at least seven more officers are expected to
be made three-star Generals over the next few weeks.
The decision to promote the 29 Brigadiers was made at a
meeting of the Army Promotion Board chaired by Kayani
yesterday.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani approved the promotions
today, said a statement issued by the Premier`s office.
Among those promoted were Brig Muhammad Zahid Latif
Mirza, currently posted at the US Central Command, President
Asif Zardari`s military secretary Brig Mian M Hilal Hussain
and Pakistan`s defence attache to China Brig Naveed Ahmed.
At least seven to eight Major Generals will soon be
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General to fill vacancies
that are expected to be created by retirements in the coming
weeks, sources were quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
Army Air Defence commander Lt Gen Muhammad Ashraf Saleem,
due to retire on March 31, had resigned for personal reasons
while Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Masood Aslam, who was
recently granted an extension, has expressed his inability to
continue and is expected to relinquish his charge by the end
of this month, the sources said.
Mangla Corps Commander Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed, Lahore Corps
Commander Lt Gen Ijaz Ahmad Bakshi, Earthquake Reconstruction
and Rehabilitation Authority Chairman Lt Gen Sajjad Akram,
Inspector General of Training and Evaluation Lt Gen Ahsan
Azhar Hayat and Lt Gen Shahid Niaz, currently
engineer-in-chief at GHQ, will retire by June.
The sources said several Major Generals will be promoted
to fill the vacancies.
A reshuffle is also imminent after the promotion of
officers. Some Lieutenant Generals may also be granted
extensions, the sources were quoted as saying.
A Lieutenant General is also likely to be appointed at
the Strategic Plans Division, which controls Pakistan`s
nuclear arsenal, to benefit from expertise of the unit`s
chief Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Kidwai before replacing him, the
Dawn reported.
PTI
