Pakistan appoints Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as new army chief

Pakistan on Saturday appointed General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief to replace General Raheel Sharif, who is set to retire on Nov. 29, according to the Prime Minister Office.

Qamar Bajwa is currently serving at the Inspector General of Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

He has served on several senior positions including commander of the 10th Corps, the Pakistan army's largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between Pakistan and India.

Bajwa was commissioned in Baloch Regiment in 1980, according to the army. He is graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Canada, Naval Post Graduate University, Monterey in the United States and National Defense University at Islamabad.

The general has also commanded Pakistan Contingent in Congo. He has been an instructor at School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta and Command and Staff College at the capital city of Balochistan Province and National Defense University.

He has also been Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of Rawalpindi Corps. He has commanded 16 Baloch Regiment, an Infantry Brigade and has commanded Infantry Division in Northern Areas.

Meanwhile General Zubair Mahmood Hayat was appointed as the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the office said.

Mahmood was commissioned in Artillery Regiment on Oct. 24, 1980. He is graduate of Fort Sill Oklahoma in the United State, Command and Staff College Camberley in Britain and National Defense University at Islamabad.

He has wide experience of command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded an artillery regiment, mechanized division artillery, an infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division, military sources said. Endit