Asim Munir will have to find a well trusted aide to fill the crucial ISI post's when Asim Malik retires soon.
In the first reshuffle of three star generals after Asim Munir became field marshal, Pakistan's army chief has moved out Lieutenant General Shahid Imtiaz, Azad Kashmir Regiment (22nd Officers Training Scheme, OTS) from the important X Corps command, Rawalpindi, posting Lieutenant General Aamir Ahsan Nawaz, Baloch Regiment, currently serving as military secretary in his place.
Shahid Imtiaz takes the military secretary slot. The change was long overdue. Shahid Imtiaz served a stint of over two-and-a-half years. Seen as a staunch Munir loyalist, from the same OTS stream, he was brought in to the Rawalpindi command immediately after Munir was appointed army chief in somewhat controversial circumstances in November 2022.
Aamer Ahsan Nawaz, 82nd PMA Long Course, will be another Baloch regiment officer to hold the prestigious Pindi command, after Generals Ashfaq Kayani and Qamer Bajwa. He was promoted as lieutenant general in September 2023 before which he was commandant at the Command and Staff College, Quetta. He also held charge as General Officer Commanding, 12 Infantry Division, Muree. His career graph is certainly on an upswing.
Among the younger crop of three star generals promoted by Munir, Nawaz at Rawalpindi, Avais Dastagir at Karachi and Omar Bokhari at Peshawar will definitely figure in the army chief's succession, if and when Munir decides to ride into the sunset. Of course, dark horses springing up can never be ruled out in the Pakistan army's conspiratorial millieu.
Another important posting occurred recently, in June 2025, of a retired lieutenant general. Mohammad Saeed, erstwhile V Corps commander and chief of general staff, another OTS loyalist who served with distinction under Munir's early period as army chief, was appointed chairman of the Water & Power Development Authority, replacing Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani, whose term was still to run its course.
WAPDA has long been held by retired generals from Zia ul Haq's time, when Lieutenant General Zahid Ali Akbar was appointed after a stint as corps commander, Rawalpindi.
Mohammad Saeed had earlier turned down Munir's offer to continue as chief of general staff after retirement but he accepted this time. Interestingly, he is not from the Corps of Engineers as most of his predecessors at WAPDA have been. He belongs to the Sind regiment.
More changes could be in the offing. Lieutenant General Asim Malik, Baloch regiment, 80th PMA, will complete four years as lieutenant general in September/October, 2025 and may have to leave uniform while continuing possibly, as national security adviser.
Asim Munir will have to find another well trusted aide to fill the crucial director-general, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) post.
Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmed Khan, Frontier Force Regiment, 82 PMA has been heading XII Corps, Quetta for quite a long time and fresh blood could be brought in there, from either the 82nd or 83rd PMA Long
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Sind Regiment, 76th PMA, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, will retire in November, and the vacant four star slot will be up for grabs.
It remains to be seen how Munir accommodates one of his favourites or other ambitious three-star competitors in this post, even as he himself is slated to continue as army chief till November 2027.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
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