Gen Raza | Pakistan

The government on Friday took another step towards completing the higher military command’s restructuring initiated last year under the 27th Constitutional Amendment by appointing Gen Syed Aamer Raza as the country’s first commander of the National Strategic Command (NSC). The four-star post was created under last year’s constitutional tweak to oversee the operational integration of Pakistan’s strategic forces — a role previously exercised by the Chai­rman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, which was abolished under the 27th Amendment. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, therefore, promoted Gen Raza from the rank of lieutenant general to the rank of a general and simultaneously appointed him as the CNSC. Apart from the CNSC, the 27th Amendment also resulted in the creation of the post of the chief of defence forces (CDF), which is concurrently held by the army chief. Subsequently, Field Marshal Munir became the country’s first CDF after changes to the Army Act. Under the Army Act, the CNSC is appointed by the prime ...