Indian cabinet body appoints Lt Gen Bhatt as new DGMO

ISLAMABAD: A committee of cabinet which approves all important appointments in Indian Army has appointed Lt Gen AK Bhatt as India’s new Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), an appointment which is being considered crucially important in background of present heightened tension between two neighbouring countries.

Lt Gen Bhatt has replaced Lt Gen Ranbir Singh as DGMO. In continuation of surgical strikes drama, India’s Appointment Committee of Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narindra Modi, also approved promotion of Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who was DGMO when India claimed so called surgical strikes inside Pakistan in September.

The Committee approved the appointment of Lt Gen Singh as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Mathura-based Strike 1 Corps. Indian media reported that 1 Corps is one of the three assault forces of the Indian Army.

It is also important that India media reported that Lt Gen AK Bhatt has been appointed as “country’s new DGMO” instead of “new DGMO of Indian Army” which shows ownership of all important offices of army by the country and the common people.

Lt Gen Bhatt will be in charge of all army operations in India including on the LoC where situation is continuously tense because of repeated incidents of aggression from Indian side. Indian media also tried to attach latest decisions of the Appointment Committee of Indian Cabinet with the appointment of new army chief in Pakistan.

Muhammad Saleh Zaafir adds: General Singh is viewed as the author of story of so-called surgical strike in Azad Kashmir last month that was discredited in India largely since he failed to produce any evidence to establish his fake claim.

Modi eulogised him for the fabrication and now Modi has approved his posting. It is understood that the violation of the LOC in Kashmir was also his brainchild. Pakistan Army’s DGMO Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza warned him last week through hotline that Pakistan reserves the right to response on LOC at the place and time of its choice.