Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar appointed as DG ISI

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army on Sunday announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar as the Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) replacing Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar.

In other major transfers and shuffle in ranks, the most significant changes came as former DG Rangers Sindh Lt Gen Bilal Akbar was posted as Chief of General Staff (CGS) and Lt General Rizwan Akhtar Baig (former DG ISI) as President National Defence University.

An ISPR statement announced the major transfers and postings, days after Gen Qamar Bajwa assumed charge as Chief of Army Staff.

Another significant change in rank was of DG ISPR Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa, who has now been posted as Inspector General Arms (IG Arms) at GHQ.

According to the ISPR list, following changes have been made:

1. Lt Gen Bilal Akbar has been appointed Chief of General Staff.

2. Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar presently DG ISI has been appointed President NDU.

3. Lt Gen Nazir Butt presently President NDU has been appointed Corps Commander Peshawar (11Corps).

4. Lt Gen Hidayat ur Rehman, presently Corps Commander Peshawar has been appointed Inspector General Training and Evaluation (IGT&E) at GHQ.

5. Lt Gen Asim Salim Bajwa, presently DG ISPR has been appointed Inspector General Arms (IG Arms) at GHQ. He was posted DG ISPR in June 2012 and promoted Lt Gen in Sept 2015.

6. Newly promoted Lt Gen Hamayun Aziz has been appointed Inspector General C&IT at GHQ.

7. Newly promoted Lt Gen Qazi Ikram has been appointed Chief of Logistic Staff at GHQ.

8. Newly promoted Lt Gen Sher Afgun has been posted 31 Corps Commander (Bahawalpur).

9. Newly Promoted Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal will continue as DG FWO.

10. Newly promoted Lt Gen Naeem Ashraf has been appointed Chairman Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT).

11. Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar has been posted DG ISI. 

On Dec 9, seven major generals were promoted to lieutenant generals, the ISPR had said. On Nov 29, General Qamar Javed Bajwa officially took charge as the 16th COAS during the Change of Command ceremony in Rawalpindi.

In 2014, then Major Gen Rizwan Akhtar was replaced by Maj Gen Bilal Akbar as DG Rangers Sindh. During Akbar’s assume of charge major focus remained Karachi operation that began in 2013.

Earlier this year, Rangers’ stay again got an extension in Sindh under Lt Gen Bilal Akbar. During his tenure, major events were witnessed such as raid of Muttahida Qaumi Movement headquarters (Nine Zero) and tackling of Aug 22 violence in Karachi.