ISLAMABAD President Asif Ali Zardari promoted Vice Admiral Noman Bashir to the rank of Admiral and appointed him as the new Naval Chief on Sunday.

He will replace Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir who retires on October 7 on completing three years as the Chief of Naval Staff.

This is the first high level military appointment after the February 18 polls, resignation of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf as president and Zardaris victory in the presidential elections.

The practice of appointing Naval Chiefs from amongst the Vice Admirals has been scrupulously followed in the past.  Noman Bashir who is one of the four Vice Admirals supersedes Vice Admiral Asif Hamayun. He is senior to the other two Vice Admirals including Saleem Minai and MA Khan. He belongs to Naval Aviation and is the brother of Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

He is presently serving as Commander Karachi and in this capacity is in charge of all naval establishments and shore-based units at Karachi.

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

He had the privilege to commanded two aviation squadrons, and two ships (frigate and corvette), and also held the key appointment 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 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 the Sultanate of Oman.

He is a graduate of Joint Services Staff College, Armed Forces War College at National Defence University (NDU) and Royal College of Defence Studies in United Kingdom.

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