Major General Asif Ghafoor has been appointed as the new director general (DG) for Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

He is presently commanding a division in Swat and will replace Lt Gen Asim Bajwa as DG ISPR. Lt Gen Bajwa was posted as Inspector General Arms at GHQ.

Maj Gen Ghafoor was a part of the artillery regiment. He has a vast experience of operations and has commanded a unit in Operation Al-Mizan. He has also served in military operations directorate and remained involved in finalisation of the National Action Plan (NAP), military sources said.

According to military sources, other postings made today include:

• Major General Abdullah Dogar appointed Commandant Pakistan Military Academy
• Major General Syed Adnan appointed GOC at Lahore.
• Major General Fida Malik appointed DG Logistics at GHQ.
• Major General Zafarullah Khan appointed GOC at Panu Aqil.
• Major General Nadir Khan appointed DG Personnel Services and Provost Marshal(PS&PM) at GHQ.
• Major General Zafar Iqbal appointed GOC armour division at Gujranwala.

The new postings come shortly after the appointment of Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as army chief. As with each change in command of the country’s powerful army, the obvious question being asked is how and whether the new chief’s appointment and his radically different looking team will translate into policy changes in different areas.

Dawn earlier reported that all discussions with knowledgeable sources suggest no change or, in fact, a toughening of the internal security operations initiated in the country during Gen Kayani’s tenure and carried out with gusto under his successor.

The posting of officers with a track record in internal security and counterterrorism as the CGS and the ISI DG respectively also reinforces this impression. That the prestigious CGS position has gone to one of the most junior lieutenant generals suggests that the chief will take keen interest in these operations and provide proactive guidance and oversight.

It is early to say whether any policy change regarding India will come about apart from perhaps a tighter watch over solo flights by militants, but no army chief can afford to be lax.

The coming weeks will make it clear whether he now has more of a say in such areas.

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