Five Lt Generals to retire in few weeks

LAHORE: In the first week of April 2019, five senior generals of Pakistan Army will retire on completion of their service, and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will appoint new generals

According to sources, names of major generals getting promotion have been decided and the list will be released by the Inter-Services Public Relations soon. Those retiring in the coming days include: Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt-General Javed Bukhari, Adjutant General Lt-General Anwaar Ali Haider, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-General Umar Hayat, Director General Joint Staff Headquarters Lt-General Malik Zafar Iqbal and Inspector General Communication and IT Lt-General Shahid Iqbal Baig.

It will be interesting to note that those getting promotion right now would be among the most senior generals and contenders for the posts of 12th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and 18th Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC) in November 2022 when appointments would be made to these posts. The prime minister appoints the COAS for a period of three years, and the incumbent army chief’s retirement will fall 0n Nov 2019. General Tika Khan was the first chief of Army Staff (COAS), who was appoint as the army chief in 1972. Earlier, almost all generals Ziaul Haq, General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani get extension in their services.