ISLAMABAD, Oct 5: Presi-dent Asif Ali Zardari has promoted Vice Admiral Noman Bashir to the rank of Admiral and appointed him the Chief of Pakistan Navy.He will replace Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir who retires on October 7 on completing three years as the Chief of Naval Staff.

The practice of appointing naval chiefs from amongst the Vice Admirals has been scrupulously followed by all governments.Noman Bashir who is one of the four Vice Admirals supersedes Vice Admiral Asif Hamayun. He is senior to the other two Vice Admirals, Saleem Minai and M.A. Khan. He belongs to naval aviation and at present is serving as Commander Karachi.

Vice Admiral Noman Bashir was commissioned in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in June 1973. He served on various ships before joining naval aviation where he graduated as a helicopter pilot.

He has commanded two aviation squadrons, and two ships (frigate and corvette), and has also held the key position of Commander Naval Aviation.

His staff appointments include Commodore Training Ashore and Director Naval Intelligence, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Training) at the Naval Headquarters.

He also served as General Manager (Operations) at Karachi Port Trust and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Projects). He has also served as Senior Pakistan Armed Forces Officer in Oman.

He is a graduate of Joint Services Staff College, Armed Forces War College at National Defence University and Royal College of Defence Studies in UK.

He will assume the charge of the 18th Naval Chief on Tuesday at a change of command ceremony at the Naval Complex here.

—Reporter