Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to give approval to the appointment of new director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the first week of next month, as incumbent DG ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar is due to retire on October 1. This would be the first high-profile military appointment by Prime Minister Imran Khan since assuming office in August 2018.
Chief of Army Staff General Qamer Javed Bajwa and outgoing DG ISI Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar met Prime Minister Khan the other day and reportedly discussed the appointment of new chief of the spy agency, besides other matters of national interest. Following the meeting, the defence ministry submitted a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office containing the proposed names for the post. The prime minister is likely to sign the summary on Monday.
According to sources, recently promoted Lt Gen Sarfraz Sattar, Lt Gen Zaki Manj and Lt Gen Asim Munir top the list of the contenders for the post. Manj has already served in the ISI while Asim Munir is currently serving as DG Military Intelligence at the GHQ.
Four other three-star generals are also due to retire on Oct 1 and the newly promoted officers will be appointed on the positions falling vacant. Those who are going to retire are Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lt Gen Mian Hilal Hussain, Military Secretary GHQ Lt Gen Ghayur Mahmood, Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Nazir Butt and Inspector General Training and Evaluation Lt Gen Hidayat-ur-Rehman.
Published in Daily Times, September 30th 2018.
