The inside story at Pakistan’s major military reshuffle: 7 things to know

On October 6, the Pakistan Army announced that ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed had been appointed Peshawar Corps Commander, a crucial position amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum has been appointed the new Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The mega military reshuffle includes these important points:

• The Army has also announced senior-level postings. The statement said that Lieutenant General Mohammad Amir has been assigned to command the Gujranwala corps – the army’s major offensive formation – and Lieutenant General Asim Munir has been appointed as it’s Quartermaster General (QMG).
• Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed has been appointed as commander of the 5 Corps in Karachi and Lt Gen Nouman Mehmood has been appointed as president of the National Defence University.
• Lt Gen Anjum, who comes from the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army, served as the commander of the Karachi Corps as well as the commandant of the Command and Staff College Quetta. During his tenure as Inspector General of the Frontier Corps Balochistan, he oversaw many operations against terrorists.
• On June 16, 2019, Lt Gen Hameed from the Baloch Regiment was appointed as the head of the spy agency. Previously, he served as the head of internal security for the ISI.
• Hameed had served in the ISI for two-and-a-half years before being promoted to the rank of Lt Gen. He assumed the role as ISI chief at a critical time, due to several external and internal security challenges.
• During the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August, Hameed rushed to Kabul and witnessed the crucial changes. In September, he visited Kabul and spoke with the media briefly, saying that ‘everything will be fine’ in Afghanistan, amid rumors about differences among Taliban ranks due to the delay in announcing the government.
• The ISI chief is appointed by the prime minister, but as part of the tradition, he exercises this power in consultation with the Pakistan Army chief. Historically, the post of ISI chief has been one of the most important in the Pakistan Army, which has ruled the country for more than half of its 73 years and wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.

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