Pakistani Army appoints Major General Asif Ghafoor as new spokesman

Islamabad: The Pakistani Army on Thursday appointed Major General Asif Ghafoor as its new spokesperson and chief of its media wing as part of a major reshuffle drive initiated by new Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Ghafoor is presently commanding a division in Swat, which was cleared of militants after a bloody operation in 2009, according to the army.

He will replace Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa.

The new spokesperson would have to work hard to come out of the shadow of outgoing Bajwa who through an effective campaign both on traditional and social media popularised military and its former chief Raheel Sharif.

Army's media wing is officially called the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The appointment is part of a reshuffle in the army after the appointment of Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as Army chief.

Army said that General Bajwa also approved appointments of Major General Abdullah Dogar as Commandant Pakistan Military Army, Major General Syed Adnan as GOC at Lahore, Major General Fida Malik as DG Logistics at GHQ, Major General Zafarullah Khan as GOC at Panu Aqil, Major General Nadir Khan as DG Personnel Services and Provost Marshal (PS&PM) at GHQ and Major General Zafar Iqbal asGOC armour division at Gujranwala.

Last week, the new Army chief chaired a meeting to promote seven major generals to the rank of lieutenant generals.

He also removed the head of the country's spy agency ISI.