Pakistan’s Prime Minister on 26th Nov picked Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to replace outgoing army chief Raheel Sharif, a popular military leader credited for improving security and driving back Islamist militants.
Army chief is one of the most powerful persons in Pakistan.
Military has ruled the country for more than half its 69 year history since independence from Britain.
General Bajwa will take charge of the world’s sixth largest army by troop numbers.
Appointment of Gen. Bajwa aims to reset the fraught relations between military and civilian government in a nuclear armed nation of 190 million people.
Lt. Gen. Zubair Hayat has been appointed chairman of the joint chief of staff committee, according to the Pakistan PMO.
Army operates a vast business empire in the country and dictates key areas of Pakistani foreign policy including historic foe India and neighbours like Afghanistan.
Gen Sharif became the first army chief in more than 20 years to step down on time
Bajwa belongs to the Balochistan regiment has produced three Pakistan army chiefs- Gen. Yahya Khan, Gen. Aslam Beg and Gen. Ashfaq Peruvian Kayani
Pakistan’s Army Chief- Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa has served as IG of Training and Evaluation
- He has led 10 Corps which serves in an area along the LOC and Force Command Northern Areas
- He has also served under Indian Army Chief Gen. Bikram Singh during a Congo UN Mission
