Islamabad: Lieutenant-General Rashad Mahmood has been appointed as Pakistan's new Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee, while Lieutenant-General Raheel Sharif has become the new Army Chief.
Both senior military officials met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif earlier today where the premier conveyed them the decision. The two meetings were viewed as immensely significant as they came a day before General Kayani's retirement from his post of army chief.
On November 28, the two would be promoted to the rank of four star general and at 12 pm on Nov 29, Raheel Sharif will take charge as the army chief in a change of command ceremony. Mahmood is likely to assume office after the Nov 29 ceremony.
The selection implies that frontrunner and the senior most military officer Lt Gen Haroon Aslam, currently serving as Chief of Logistic Staff, was ignored for the elevation.
The suspense over the successor to Pakistan Army's powerful chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had mounted till the last moment with no names being announced even though the incumbent was to retire on Friday.
Both men have a difficult job on their hands of commanding the Army while international forces start pullout from neighbouring Afghanistan and of handling the stop-start operation/negotiation game between the Pakistani Taliban and the Nawaz Sharif government.
Other areas of concern are the Pakistan government's diplomatic dance with India, the US, China and the Gulf states, as well as thelocal security-centric initiatives, like energy efficiency and stabilising Balochistan, the Express Tribune had reported.
Even though various names and theories were floated, officials close to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who will host a farewell dinner for Kayani on Wednesday night, say the premier was said to be holding the crucial card close to his heart.
In a surprise move, 61-year-old Kayani had scotched speculation of a possible extension by issuing a statement on October 6 saying, "My tenure ends on 29th November 2013. On that day I will retire."
