Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas takes over as commander Karachi

In an impressive change of command ceremony held at the PNS Bahadur Karachi, Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas took over command as commander Karachi.

Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi handed over the command to Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas. The commander Karachi is the overall commander of the Pakistan Navy training units at Karachi.

According to Director General Public Relations (Navy), Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas got commissioned into the Operations Branch of the Pakistan Navy in 1988. He has a distinguished career with wide-ranging Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments include commanding officer PNS Babur, PNS Zulfiqar and commandant Pakistan Naval Academy.

The flag officer also commanded 18th Destroyer Squadron and undertook a successful evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from Yemen for which he was awarded Sitara-e-Basalat.

He has also commanded the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151). His distinguished staff appointments include principal secretary to the chief of the naval staff, the director general C4I and the deputy chief of the naval staff (training & evaluation) at the Naval Headquarters, Islamabad.

Prior to assuming the duties as commander Karachi, the admiral was serving as commander Central Punjab and commandant Pakistan Navy War College at Lahore.

The admiral is a graduate of the Pakistan Navy War College and the National Defence University, Islamabad. He has also done Masters in Military Research from the United Kingdom and a Senior Naval Command Course from China. In recognition of his meritorious services and valour, the admiral was awarded Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-e-Basalat.

On assumption of command, the newly appointed commander Karachi was presented a guard of honour and introduced to the commanding officers of units under command. The change of command ceremony was attended by a large number of Pakistan Navy Officers, CPOs/sailors and navy civilians, it added.