Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army
Encyclopedia
The Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
, shortly abbreviated as COAS, is the highest staff post in the Pakistan Army
, held by the senior 4-star rank officer. It is the highest and most prestigious 4-star assignment, unless the 4-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The current Chief of Army Staff is General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
. The COAS operates from Army Combatant General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the twin city of the capital Islamabad. Under the Constitution of 1973 presently in vogue, the Chief of Army Staff is subordinate to the President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Pakistan, but senior to the Secretary General/Secretary Defence and reports directly to the civilian leadership.
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Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, shortly abbreviated as COAS, is the highest staff post in the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, held by the senior 4-star rank officer. It is the highest and most prestigious 4-star assignment, unless the 4-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee , is a military administrative body of high-ranking and senior uniformed military leaders and officers in the Pakistan Defense Forces who advises the civilian Government of Pakistan, National Security Council, and Defence Minister on important military matters...
of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The current Chief of Army Staff is General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI, HI is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007...
. The COAS operates from Army Combatant General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the twin city of the capital Islamabad. Under the Constitution of 1973 presently in vogue, the Chief of Army Staff is subordinate to the President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Pakistan, but senior to the Secretary General/Secretary Defence and reports directly to the civilian leadership.
List of Chiefs of Army Staff
| No. | Name | Term of Appointment | Unit of Commission | Decorations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Commander-in-Chief, Pakistan Army |
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| 1 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Sir Sir Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures... Frank Messervy Frank Messervy General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, , was a British Indian Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars... |
August 15, 1947 – February 10, 1948 | 9th Hodson's Horse | KCSI Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion... , KBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... , CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... , DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... |
| 2 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Sir Sir Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures... Douglas Gracey |
February 11, 1948 – January 16, 1951 | 1st Gurkha Rifles | KCB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... , KCIE Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion... , CBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... , MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... |
| 3 | Field Marshal Field Marshal Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical... Muhammad Ayub Khan |
January 16, 1951 – October 26, 1958 | 1/14 Punjab Regiment Punjab Regiment (Pakistan) The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment... |
NPk Nishan-e-Pakistan The Nishan-e-Pakistan is the highest of civil awards and decorations given by the Government of Pakistan for the highest degree of service to the country and nation of Pakistan... , HPk, HJ, GCMG Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III.... , MBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| 4 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Muhammad Musa |
October 27, 1958 – June 17, 1966 | 6/13 Frontier Force Rifles Frontier Force Regiment For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of... |
HPk, HJ, HQA, MBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| 5 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan Yahya Khan General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Qizilbash, H.Pk, HJ, S.Pk, psc was the third President of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971, following the resignation of Ayub Khan... |
June 18, 1966 – December 20, 1971 | 4/10 Baluch Regiment Baluch Regiment Baluch Regiment may refer to:*the 10th Baluch Regiment of the Indian Army *the successor Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan Army... |
HPk, HJ, SPk |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Lieutenant General Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General.... Gul Hassan Khan Gul Hassan Khan Lieutenant-General Gul Hassan Khan , was a former three star general and the last Army Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army from December 20, 1971 – March 3, 1972... |
December 20, 1971 – March 3, 1972 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
SPk, SQA |
| Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army (COAS) and 4-star generals |
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| 7 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Tikka Khan Tikka Khan General Tikka Khan, HJ, HQA, SPk, was a senior four-star general in the Pakistan Army who served as the first Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 3 March 1972 to 1 March 1976. Before his four-star assignment, Khan was a Martial Law Administrator of erstwhile East-Pakistan... |
March 3, 1972 – March 1, 1976 | 12 Artillery Artillery Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons... |
HJ, HQA, SPk |
| 8 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988... |
March 1, 1976 – August 17, 1988 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
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| 9 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Mirza Aslam Beg Mirza Aslam Beg General Mirza Aslam Beg, SBt, HI, NI, afwc, psc , is a retired four-star general who was the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army succeeding General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, after the latter died in an air crash on 17 August 1988... |
August 17, 1988 – August 16, 1991 | Baloch Regiment Baloch Regiment The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions... |
NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... , SBt |
| 10 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Asif Nawaz Asif Nawaz General Asif Nawaz Janjua, NI, HI, SBt , afwc, psc , was a senior four-star general and the 10th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from August 16, 1991 till January 8, 1993. His tenure was cut short by his death after suffering a heart attack... |
August 16, 1991 – January 8, 1993 | Punjab Regiment Punjab Regiment (Pakistan) The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment... |
NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... , SBt (Bar) |
| 11 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Abdul Waheed |
January 11, 1993 – January 12, 1996 | Frontier Force Regiment Frontier Force Regiment For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of... |
NI(M), SBt |
| 12 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Jehangir Karamat Jehangir Karamat General Jehangir Karamat, NI, TBt, afwc, psc, fsc, is a retired four-star general and a renowned military scientist who served as the former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army from January 1996 to October 1998, and then former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States from November 2004 to June... |
January 12, 1996 – October 6, 1998 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... , TBt |
| 13 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Pervez Musharraf Pervez Musharraf Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled... |
October 6, 1998 – November 28, 2007 | Artillery Artillery Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons... |
NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... , TBt |
| General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Ziauddin Butt Ziauddin Butt General Ziauddin Khawaja, also known as Ziauddin Butt, is a four-star general of the Pakistan Army and a career operations and infantry formations commander, head of intelligence and engineering officer... |
October 12, 1999 (appointed) | Engineers | NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... |
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| 14 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Ashfaq Parvez Kayani General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI, HI is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007... |
November 29, 2007 – | Baloch Regiment Baloch Regiment The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions... |
NI(M) Nishan-i-Imtiaz The Nishan-i-Imtiaz is one of the state organized civil decorations of State of Pakistan. It is the highest honor — along with comparable to optimum award Nishan-e-Pakistan — given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements that caused the world recognition for Pakistan or/ done a... , HI |
List of Army Vice Chiefs
The post of Vice Chiefs of Army Staff existed whenever the Chief of Army Staff was also the President of PakistanPresident of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
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| No. | Name | Term of Appointment | Unit of Commission | Decorations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Abdul Hamid Khan Abdul Hamid Khan (general) General Abdul Hamid Khan, HQA, SPk, SQA, was a Pakistan Army General. He was the Chief of Staff Pakistan Army under President General Yahya Khan during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.-1965 Battle of Khem Karan:... |
March 25, 1969 – December 20, 1971 | Baloch Regiment Baloch Regiment The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions... |
HQA, SPk |
| 2 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Mohammad Sawar Khan Sawar Khan General Mohammad Sawar Khan, NI is an ex-four-star general of the Pakistan Army who was the Governor of the largest province, Punjab and the Vice Chief of Army Staff during the era of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq when Zia was simultaneously the chief of army staff and the President of... |
April 13, 1980 – March 22, 1984 | Artillery Artillery Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons... |
NI(M) |
| 3 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Khalid Mahmud Arif |
March 22, 1984 – March 29, 1987 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
NI(M), SBt |
| 4 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Mirza Aslam Beg Mirza Aslam Beg General Mirza Aslam Beg, SBt, HI, NI, afwc, psc , is a retired four-star general who was the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army succeeding General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, after the latter died in an air crash on 17 August 1988... |
March 29, 1987 – August 17, 1988 | Baloch Regiment Baloch Regiment The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions... |
NI(M), SBt |
| 5 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Muhammad Yusaf Khan Yusaf Khan General Muhammad Yusaf Khan Qaimkhani , is a retired four-star general of the Pakistan Army who served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff from October 8, 2001 until October 7, 2004... |
October 8, 2001 – October 6, 2004 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
NI(M) |
| 6 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Ahsan Saleem Hyat |
October 7, 2004 – October 7, 2007 | Armoured Corps Armoured corps Armoured corps may refer to:* Armor Corps * I Armored Corps * Pakistan Army Armoured Corps* Indian Armoured Corps * Indian Army Armoured Corps * Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps* Rhodesian Armoured Corps... |
NI(M) |
| 7 | General General A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... Ashfaq Pervez Kayani |
October 8, 2007 – November 28, 2007 | Baloch Regiment Baloch Regiment The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions... |
NI(M), HI Hilal-i-Imtiaz The Hilal-i-Imtiaz, English: Crescent of Excellence, Urdu: هلال ا متيا ز , is the second highest civilian award and honor given to both civilians and military officers of the State of Pakistan|Pakistan armed forces by the Government of Pakistan... |
See also
- Pakistan ArmyPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
- Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (Pakistan)
- Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)The Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, abbreviated as CAS, is typically the highest ranking 4-star rank officer in the Pakistan Air Force, unless a four-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CAS is a senior and permanent member of the...
- Chief of Naval Staff (Pakistan)Chief of Naval Staff (Pakistan)The Chief of the Naval Staff, abbreviated as CNS, is the highest ranking officer in the Pakistani Navy unless a 4-star naval officer is appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The current Chief of the Naval Staff is Admiral Asif Sandila who commands the Navy. The CNS reports...
- Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)Chief of General Staff (Pakistan)Chief of General Staff, shortly abbreviated as CGS, is the most coveted position within the Pakistan Army. Although four-star Chief of Army Staff is the nominal head of the land forces, CGS is the operational and intelligence lead of the institution...