Azhar Abbas (general)

Azhar Abbas HI(M) (Urdu: اظہر عباس) is a three-star ranking general in the Pakistani Army, who served as the 38th Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the Pakistan Army. He was appointed to the position on 8 September 2021, was replaced by Lieutenant-General Muhammad Saeed.^[1][2]

Lieutenant General Azhar Abbas HI(M)
38th Chief of General Staff
In office September 2021 – December 2022
Preceded by	Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza
Succeeded by	Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (general)
Commander X Corps
In office September 2019 – September 2021
Preceded by	Lt Gen (r) Bilal Akbar
Succeeded by	Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza
Director General Joint Staff HQ
In office April 2019 – September 2019
Preceded by	Lt Gen (r) Malik Zafar Iqbal
Succeeded by	Lt Gen Muhammad Chiragh Haider Baloch
Commandant School of Infantry & Tactics, Quetta
In office June 2018 – April 2019
Preceded by	Maj Gen Shahid Nazir
Succeeded by	Maj Gen Salman Fayyaz Ghani
GOC 12 Infantry Division, Murree
In office December 2016 – June 2018
Preceded by	Maj Gen Muhammad Kaleem Asif
Succeeded by	Maj Gen Amer Ahsan Nawaz
Private Secretary to Chief of Army Staff, PS(C)
In office December 2013 – December 2016
Preceded by	Brig Muhammad Saeed
Succeeded by	Brig Iftikhar Hassan Chaudhry
Personal details
Nationality	Pakistani
Alma mater	Command and Staff College, Quetta National Defence University, Islamabad
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan
Branch/service	Pakistan Army
Years of service	1987-2022
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	41 Baloch
Awards	Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)

Chief of General Staff is responsible for operational and intelligence matters at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Abbas was commissioned in the 41st Battalion of Baloch Regiment.^[1] Previously, he served as Commandant School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta, headed a division in Murree, worked as a Brigadier in the Operations Directorate, and was also a Private Secretary to the former Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif.^[1]

Awards and decorations

Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Crescent of Excellence) (2018)		Tamgha-e-Diffa (General Service Medal) Siachen Glacier Clasp
Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal) 1998	Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan (Escalation with India Medal) 2002	Tamgha-e-Azm (Medal of Conviction) (2018)	10 Years Service Medal
20 Years Service Medal	30 Years Service Medal	35 Years Service Medal	Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal) 1988
Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990	Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1997	Command & Staff College Quetta Student's Medal	United Nations MINURSO Medal (2 Deployments)

Foreign decorations

Foreign Awards
United Nations	MINURSO Medal

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Lieutenant General	April 2019
	Major General	February 2015
	Brigadier	April 2009
	Lieutenant Colonel	March 2005
	Major	April 1996
	Captain	April 1989
	Lieutenant	April 1988
	Second Lieutenant	September 1987