Asim Munir Tightens Grip On Pakistan Army

Eleven major generals from the 86th and 87th PMA long courses have been promoted to lieutenant general.

Six promoted officers are from infantry units, while three are from artillery and one each from air defence and engineers.

Several newly promoted lieutenant generals have received important corps commander assignments across Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and Quetta.

At least six lieutenant generals from the 80th PMA long course are expected to phase out into retirement.

Muhammed Asim Malik has reportedly received another one-year extension and will continue as director general, ISI.

 

Eleven major generals from the 86th and 87th Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) long courses have been promoted and at least six officers from the 80th PMA long course will phase out into retirement.

Six of those promoted are from infantry units, three from artillery and one each, from air defence and engineers.

As was expected, both the vice chiefs of general staff have been promoted. Chaudhry Amir Ajmal, 45 Baloch Regiment, picks up three-star rank but his posting as lieutenant general has not been disclosed yet.

Umar Bashir, Artillery, goes as corps commander, 4 Corps, Lahore.

Mohammed Naeem Akhtar, Azad Kashmir Regiment, who was serving as chief instructor at the National Defence University, Rawalpindi, goes as the new corps commander, 11 Corps, Peshawar.

Two other key instructors, Naseem Anwar, Frontier Force Regiment, who was commandant, Staff College, Quetta, and Iftikhar Hassan Chaudhary, Artillery, who was commandant of the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul (Abbotabad), pick up three-star ranks though their assignments are yet to be known.

Wajid Aziz, Punjab Regiment, former director general, Military Intelligence, who is regarded as one of Field Marshal Asim Munir's closest confidants, expectedly picks up three-star rank though his new charge has not become public so far.

Major General Adil Iftikhar Warraich, 41 Azad Kashmir Regiment, who was serving as inspector general, Frontier Corps, Balochistan (North), has already been appointed in his place as director general, Military Intelligence.

Major General Noor Mohammad Wali, 15 Baloch Regiment, who was serving as additional secretary, Defence Production, is promoted and slotted as Quartermaster General though it is not known where the current incumbent, Lieutenant General Mohammad Hassan Khattak, Punjab Regiment, will be accommodated.

Major General Asad Cheema, Air Defence, who was supervising the Special Investment Facilitation Council, also picks up three-star rank. He may possibly continue in his existing assignment.

Pakistan Army's Promotion Pattern

Other major generals promoted include Muhammed Imtinan Babar, Engineers, Raja Muhammed Nadeem Ashraf, Artillery, who was serving as director general, Weapons and Equipments, and Major General Muhammed Ishaq Khattak, Frontier Force Regiment, who was dealing with the Weapons Development charge in the Strategic Plans Division.

They may be adjusted against posts which fall vacant in this major reshuffle.

The promotions have followed a consistent pattern previously adhered to by Asim Munir, not delving too deep in the seniority list of major generals, going by merit as adjudged during the professional screening and recommendations of the promotion board for this level.

Younger major generals with promising career profiles have straightaway been giving onerous corps commands.

Among those who had already been promoted as lieutenant generals earlier, in 2024 and 2025, Lieutenant General Shakirullah Khattak, Armoured Corps (13 Lancers) who was chairman, Heavy Industries, Taxila, goes as the new 1 corps commander at Mangla, again following a recent convention of sending either armoured corps or artillery officers there.

Mohammad Amer Najam, 19 Sind Regiment, who was serving as inspector general, training and evaluation at General Headquarters, goes as corps commander, 2 Corps, Multan.

Lieutenant General Inayat Hussain, Frontier Force Regiment, hitherto chief of logistics staff at GHQ, goes as the new corps commander, 12 Corps, Quetta.

This again conforms to an accepted practice, satiating some of those cooling their heels in staff assignments by sending them out to important field assignments.

Lieutenant General Omar Ahmed Bukhari, 22 Baloch Regiment, who was corps commander, 11 Corps, Peshawar is brought in to the important post of chief of general staff.

He is a sword of honour from the 84th PMA long course and had served as director, Military Operations and vice chief of general staff at headquarters earlier. He also did a stint as commandant, PMA, Kakul.

Six Lieutenant Generals To Retire

Going by details revealed so far, of postings given to the newly promoted generals and others at GHQ, it may be assumed that at least six lieutenant generals of the 80th PMA LC, who were due for retirement after completing four years in this rank, will now be phased out.

These include Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, Engineers, chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, Lieutenant General Fayyaz Hussain Shah, Sind Regiment, corps commander, 4 Corps, Lahore, Lieutenant General Nauman Zakaria, Armoured Corps, corps commander, 1 Corps, Mangla, Lieutenant General Ahsan Gulrez, Frontier Force Regiment, corps commander, 2 Corps, Multan, Lieutenant General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Air Defence, commander, Air Defence Command, Rawalpindi and Lieutenant General Shahid Imtiaz, Azad Kashmir Regiment, military secretary.

The latter was regarded as very close to Asim Munir, coming from the same Officers Training School Scheme.

He served for over two years as the 10 corps commander at Rawalpindi immediately after Munir took over as army chief.

Lieutenant General Muhammed Asim Malik, Baloch Regiment, Director General, Inter-Services Intelligence and national security adviser, sword of honour of the 80th PMA long course, who was already on extension, is reported to have been given another extension of one year and will continue as DG, ISI.

Coming out in the open soon after the 277th corps commanders conference in Rawalpindi on October 2, 2026, the promotions and reshuffle in the army show that Asim Munir remains firmly in charge.