During Bajwa's extension, 20 Pakistan Army Lieutenant Generals to retire

While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has given a three-year extension to Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, from November 29, 2019 till November 30, 2022, in the interim around 20 lieutenant generals of the Pakistan Army will have retired.

Nineteen of them had been promoted to the rank of Lt Gen on different dates after appointment of General Bajwa as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on November 2016.

Top of the list of those who would retire in the next three years is Lt-Gen Sarfraz Sattar. He was promoted as a lieutenant general by former army chief General Raheel Sharif in September 2016.

Lt-Gen Sattar holds the post of Director General Strategic Plans Division. Before that he commanded II Corps, Multan, and prior to that he was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 8th Infantry Division, Sialkot. He belongs to the armoured corps and 70th Pakistan Military Academy Long Course. He will serve till September 2020 as a lieutenant general.

It is common perception that Lt-Gen Sarfraz Sattar will be appointed as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff after the retirement of General Zubair Hayat, as he is the senior-most general after Gen Hayat. However, a final decision in this regard would be taken by the prime minister, writes The News.

The second senior-most general to retire will be Nadeem Raza, who belongs to 72nd Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Long Course Sindh Regiment. Gen Raza is working as Chief of General Staff.

The third senior-most serving general to retire would be Humayun Aziz. He belongs to 72nd PMA Long Course Artillery Regiment. He is currently serving as Corps Commander Karachi.

Next comes Naeem Ashraf of the 73rd PMA Long Course Armoured Corps. He is serving as Corps Commander Multan.

After that comes the name of General Sher Afghan. He belongs to 73rd PMA Long Course Azad Kashmir Regiment and is currently serving as Inspector General Training and Evaluation in the Pakistan Army.

Then comes the name of Qazi Muhammad Ikraam. He belongs to 73rd PMA Long Course Artillery Regiment. Gen Qazi Ikraam is currently serving as Commander Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC), a major command of the Pakistan Army which administers land-based nuclear weapons.

The seventh senior most general in the Pakistan Army is Bilal Akbar. He belongs to 73rd PMA Long Course Artillery Corps. Currently, and is serving as Corps Commander Rawalpindi. Before that he served as Chief of General Staff. Prior to that he earned fame by successfully completing the Karachi operation as DG Rangers Sindh.

The eighth senior-most general in the Army is Muhammad Afzal. He belongs to 73rd PMA Long Course Engineering Corps, and is serving the Pakistan Army currently as Chairman National Disaster Management Authority.

These seven generals are set to retire in December 2020.

At No 9 is senior-most General Azhar Saleh Abbasi, who got commission in 74 PMA Long Course on 11-09-86. He is working as chief of Logistics Staff. He will complete his term in April 2021.

At No 10 is senior-most General Majid Ihsan of 74 PMA Long Course Punjab Regiment. He is currently corps commander Lahore. The 11th senior-most General is General Amir Abbasi, of 74 PMA Long Course Frontier Force. He is presently quarter master general.

At No 12 is General Abdullah Dogar Aof 74 PMA Long Course Armoured Corps. He is chairman Heavy Industry Taxila. At No 13 is Senior General Hamooduz Zamaan of 74 PMA Long Course Army Air Defence. He is commander Army Air Defence.

The last four generals will complete their terms in October 2021.

There are also General Moazzam Aijaz, working as engineer-in-chief, and will complete his term in July 2022; Senior General Nadeem Zaki Manj, working as corps commander Mangla; Senior General Shaheen Mazhar, working as corps commander Peshawar; Senior General Abdul Aziz, working as military secretary; Senior General Asim Munir Shah, working as corps commander Gujranwala; Senior General Syed Muhammad Adnan, working as corps commander Bahawalpur and Senior General Waseem Ashraf, working as inspector general Arms.

The last six generals will complete their terms in September 2022.

When the incumbent army chief completes his term in November 2022, Adjudicate General GHQ General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, DG Joint Headquarters General Azhar Abbas, IG Communications General Nauman Mahmood and DG ISI General Faiz Hameed Chaudhry will be among the senior-most generals.