ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi has appointed Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf as the new chief of naval staff.
He was promoted from the rank of vice admiral to admiral before his appointment as the 18th naval chief.
Presently, Vice Admiral Ashraf is serving as the chief of staff at Naval Headquarters.
“The President of Pakistan has been pleased to appoint Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf HI (M) T Bt as Chief of the Naval Staff and promoted him to the rank of Admiral,” said his appointment notification.
He will become the admiral after assuming the navy’s command on October 7 following the retirement of incumbent Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi after completing three years at the post.
The change of command ceremony will be held in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the navy.
Vice Admiral Ashraf was commissioned in the navy’s Operations Branch in 1989 and was awarded the Quaid-i-Azam gold medal on successful completion of initial training in Germany and Pakistan.
He had served on various command and staff posts. He has over 10 years of experience in diverse operation units, including the commanding officer of a gunboat, a mine hunter and command of three destroyers and 25th and 18th destroyer squadrons. He remained the commandant of the Pakistan Naval Academy and also commandant of the Navy Fleet.
Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2023
