Army Chief's Retirement Is Nearing Different Names Are Under Consideration

Chairman Joint Chiefs Of Staff Committee General Khalid Shamim WAin is going to retire after a month, the announcement of the name for the new chairman is expected anytime. Though the rank of chairman jcsc is practically a formal one, but this time the appointment on the post has a significance due to the retirement of army chief in November and the situation about the appointment of chief will get clear. According to BBC more than one form of appointment on these important posts are being constituted. *-- Lieutenant General Haroon Aslam Haroon Aslam is the senior most army officer after Parvez Kiani, if prime minister Nawaz Sharif keeps the seniority of officers in view and maintains the pace of continuaty of promotions in the armed forces, then Haroon Aslam will become 4-star general, of course, but may not become army chief as the office of chairman JCSC wiull get vacant before Kiani is retired and Haroon Aslam will be promoted to the rank being the senior most Lt General. However, there is one thing that can change the situation in favor of Gen Haroon Aslam. The rank of chairman JCSC is the highest office in armed forces and appointment on this rank are made turn by turn from all the three forces. But when army chief takes over the commond of the country in military coup which also prolongs his service tenure as army chiefz[ as was done during the reign of Zia and Musharraf}, then army officer is appointed on the rank, to safeguard the process of promotion of officers of armed forces. If, turn and principle is kept in view then Naval Officer should be appointede as chairman JCSC. Then Lt Gen Khalid Shamim will be the senior most army officer at the time of retirement of Gen Kiani. *-- Lietenant General Rashid Mahmood According to total length of service both the lt generals Haroon Aslam and Rashid Mahmood are equal, but on the basis of record of military academy, Rashid Mahmood lags behind by one step to Haroon Aslam in seriority. Lt Gen Rashid and Gen Kiani belong to Baloch regiment though they have a lot of difference in seniority. But due to belonging to the same regiment they are considered close to each other. According to a senior army officer if opinion of army is sought then a majority will favor Lt Gen Rashid. He is the expert of war strategy and is an intellectual person.