ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar has been appointed as DG ISI. DG ISPR Asim Saleem Bajwa has tweeted in this regard on social media. According to sources, 6 major generals of Pakistan Army have been promoted to the ranks of lieutenant generals. Those promoted include ex-DG Rangers Sindh Rizwan Akhtar, Major General Hilal Hussain, Major General Ghayour Mahmood, Major General Nazir Ahmed Butt, Major General Naveed Mukhtar and Major General Hidayat-ur-Rehman.
Lieutenant general Rizwan Akhtar has been appointed as Director General ISI whereas lieutenant general Nazir Ahmed Butt appointed as IGC and IT, lieutenant general Ghayour Hussain as core commander Gujranwala, lieutenant general Hilal Hussain as core commander Mangla, lieutenant general Hidayat-ur-Rehman as core commander Peshawar and lieutenant general Naveed Mukhtar as core commander Karachi.
According to sources, ISPR has confirmed these promotions whereas new DG ISI Rizwan Akhtar will take his office from 5th of October, 2014. It is pertinent to mention here that it is the responsibility of the prime minister of Pakistan to appoint ISI chief however, COAS’ view is considered to be most important in order to appoint DG ISI and this is why, proposals were considered in Prime Minister House and GHQ on this appointment.
According to sources, the premier Nawaz Sharif considered some names for this appointment including core commander lieutenant general Naveed Zaman Lahore and the head of National Defense University (NDU) lieutenant general Javed Iqbal Ramdey.