ISLAMABAD: Lt Gen Azhar Abbas was on Tues­day named as army’s next Chief of General Staff (CGS).

Gen Abbas would be the 35th CGS of the army. He replaces Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who was posted out as commander of Rawalpindi-based 10 Corps — a post previously held by Gen Abbas.

The post of CGS is considered the most influential position within the army after that of the army chief. The CGS is assigned operational and intelligence matters at the General Headquarters with directorates of Military Operations and Military Intelligence falling under his purview.

Gen Abbas is from the Baloch Regiment.

He has in the past served as commandant of the Infa­n­try School, Quetta, and re­­mained personal secretary [PS(C)] to the then-army chief, Gen Raheel Sharif.

Moreover, he has comma­nded a division in Murree and worked in Operations Directorate as a brigadier.

Gen Mirza is, meanwhile, from the Sindh Regiment. He had prior to his CGS posting served as adjutant general. His other earlier appointments included Vice Chief of Gen­eral Staff (A), Director General Mili­tary Opera­tions and Gen­eral Officer Commanding Dera Ismail Khan.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Waseem Ashraf has been transferred and posted as Director General of the Joint Staff Headquarters.

Gen Ashraf was commander of Corps-II Multan and the Southern command.

Lt Gen Chiragh Haider would, meanwhile, move from DG Joint Staff Head­quarters to replace Gen Ashraf at Multan Corps.

Both Gen Ashraf and Gen Haider belong to the Frontier Force Regiment.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2021