Qamar Javed Bajwa

General
Qamar Javed Bajwa
قمر جاوید باجوہ‬
NI (M) HI(M)
16th Chief of Army Staff
Assumed office
29 November 2016[1]
Preceded by Raheel Sharif
Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation
In office
22 September 2015 – 29 November 2016
Commander X Corps, Rawalpindi
In office
14 August 2013 – 22 September 2015
Personal details
Born (1960-11-11) 11 November 1960[2]
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Parents Lt Col Muhammad Iqbal Bajwa (father)
Education Sir Syed College, Gordon College, Pakistan Military Academy
Awards Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)
Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military)
Military service
Allegiance  Pakistan
Service/branch  Pakistan Army
Years of service 1978 – present
Rank General
Unit 16th Baloch Regiment
Commands 16th Chief of Army Staff
Ins-Gen. Training and Evaluation
X Corps in Rawalpindi
GOC Force Command North, Gilgit
Pakistan Armed Forces–Africa Command
Battles/wars

Dongo conflict in Africa
2014 Indo-Pakistani tensions
War in Afghanistan
War in North-West Pakistan

General Qamar Javed Bajwa (Urdu: قمر جاوید باجوہ‬‎; born 11 November 1960), NI(M), HI(M), is the 16th and current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. A four-star rank general, he was appointed to the post on 29 November 2016. According to magazine Forbes, Bajwa is the 68th most powerful person in the world.[3][1] Born in Karachi, Bajwa was educated at the Sir Syed College and Gordon College in Rawalpindi before joining the Pakistan Military Academy in 1978.

Bajwa was commissioned in 1980 in the 16th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment. Prior to his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army, he served at the Army GHQ as the Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation from 22 September 2015 to 29 November 2016 and as field commander of the X Corps from 14 August 2013 to 22 September 2015 which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control at Kashmir. In addition, he served as a Brigadier in the UN mission in Congo and as a brigade commander in 2007.

Early life and education

Bajwa was born on 11 November 1960 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan[2] into a Punjabi-speaking Jat family that initially hailed and belonged to Ghakhar Mandi, Punjab, Pakistan.[4][5][6] His father, Lieutenant-Colonel Muhammad Iqbal Bajwa, was an officer of Pakistan Army who died while in service in 1967 in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.[4] Bajwa was seven years old when his father died and he was the youngest of five siblings.[2] He and his siblings were raised by their mother, who passed away in September 2013.[7] Bajwa's father-in-law, Ijaz Amjad,[8] was also an Pakistan Army officer who retired with a two-star rank, Major-General.[9]

Bajwa completed his secondary and intermediate education at Sir Syed College in Rawalpindi[10] and Gordon College in Rawalpindi before joining the Pakistan Army in 1978,[2] which directed him to attend the military academy.[11] He was sent to attend the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul and passed out with the class of 62nd PMA Long Course[11] in 1980.[12]

Bajwa is a graduate of Command and Staff in Canada and later attended and secured his graduation from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, United States.[2] He also attended the National Defence University.[2][12][13][14] Bajwa is married to Ayesha. The couple have two sons, Saad and Ali.[2]

Career in the military

After joining the Pakistan Army in 1978[2], Bajwa was sent to enrolled at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul, and passed out from the PMA Kakul where he gained commissioned as 2nd-Lt., on 24 October 1980 in the 16th Baloch Regiment at the Sialkot Cantonment – the same unit that his father commanded.[15][12]

In 1992, Major Bajwa briefly served in the 5th Northern Light Infantry Regiment in Kashmir.[16][17] In addition, Lieutenant-Colonel Bajwa served in the X Corps, stationed in Rawalpindi, as a staff officer.[16] Upon promoting as one-star rank army general, Brigadier Bajwa served as the Chief of Staff (COS) at the X Corps before promoting to the two-star rank and commanding a division in Northern Pakistan.[18][19]

In 2007, Brig. Bajwa commanded the Pakistan Armed Forces-Africa Command, attached to the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, in Congo[16][19][11][2] Brig. Bajwa served in the Congo as a brigade commander under[20][21] then-Major General Bikram Singh, the former Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army from 2012–14.[22] Gen. Singh later termed Bajwa's performance there as "professional and outstanding."[23][20]

After being promoted to two-star rank in May 2009, Major-General Bajwa took over the command of the Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA) as its GOC, stationed in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.[24][25][26][27][22][18]

In August 2011, he was honored with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military),[28] and posted as an instructor at the School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta,[29], and later taught staff course at Command and Staff College in Quetta, and course on national security at the National Defence University.[12][13]

On 14 August 2013, Maj-Gen. Bajwa was promoted to three-star rank and posted as field commander of the X Corps, stationed in Rawalpindi.[30][31][32] He was appointed as Grade-I officer during his tenure as field commander of the X Corps.[19] The appointment was commented in the news media that noted that Lt-Gen. Bajwa had been posted in X Corps thrice,[19] which is the army's important and largest corps, which has experience of keeping control over the situation in Kashmir.[22].[22][33]

In 2014, Lt-Gen. Bajwa was appointed as Colonel Commandant of Baloch Regiment.[34]

On 22 September 2015, Lt-Gen. Bajwa was posted in the Army GHQ when he appointed as the Inspector-General of the Training and Evaluation (IGT&E) where he was a Principal Staff Officer to then-Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif.[35][36]

Chief of Army Staff

Bajwa with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and members of the federal cabinet

In 2016, Prime Minister Sharif confirmed the timely retirement of Chairman joint chiefs General Rashad Mahmood, while General Raheel Sharif dismissed rumores of seeking the extension for his term.[37]

Initially, the race for the appointment for the army chief was rumored between Lt-Gen. Zubair Hayat and Lt-Gen. Javed Ramday who was close to the first family.[38][39] However, Prime Minister Sharif announced to appoint the senior most army general, Lt-Gen. Zubair Hayat was appointed Chairman joint chiefs committee.[40]

On 28 November 2016, Prime Minister Sharif eventually announced to appoint the fourth by seniority, General Bajwa, as the chief of army staff, superseding two generals who were senior than him.[41][42][43][44][45]

His strong pro-democracy stance and views may have influenced his appointment as an army chief as noted by the media pundits.[46] The Reuters Pakistan reported that Prime Minister Sharif picked Bajwa because of his low-key style.[47] He was also noted as the fourth oldest army chief of staff.[48]

About the reception of this appointment, Gen. Bajwa is known to have a sound understanding of Indian strategic ambitions in the region and experience of armed conflict on LoC in Kashmir.[17] In December 2016, he was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz.[49]

Under the command of Gen. Bajwa, the nationwide counterterrorism operations and Khyber-4 were launched in February 2017 and July 2017, respectively.[50]

In 2017, Gen. Bajwa received significant political criticism by the political circles and the Islamabad High Court for his political role during the far-right protests, in which Gen. Bajwa refused to follow the orders of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to deploy troops in Islamabad in order to end the protest.[51] Instead, Gen. Bajwa acted to became a mediator and proposed Prime Minister to negotiate with the protesters which led to resignation of the Justice minister Zahid Hamid.[52][53][54][55]

Over the issue of supreme court case that disqualified Prime Minister Sharif, Gen. Bajwa reportedly denied claims that the military had played any role in shaping the judgments.[56] In 2017, Gen. Bajwa testified the military's support for the parliamentary system before the Senate, denying any claims made in the news media of military seeking to support the presidentialism.[57]

The Bajwa Doctrine

In the first few months of 2018, media reports described his leadership vision as The Bajwa Doctrine, under that doctrine, the eighteenth amendment to the constitution of Pakistan and the financial policies of Ishaq Dar (who was the minister of finance in Nawaz Sharif government which was sacked on 28 July 2017) are disliked while financial policies of Asif Ali Zardari are preferred.[58] ISPR vehemently rejected that The Bajwa Doctrine has anything to do with the politics and if any such doctrine exists, it is only related to the security of Pakistan.[59][60]

Some reports say that The Bajwa Doctrine is at play behind the blackout of Geo TV which started on 1 April 2018. The blackout started after an off the record meeting with journalists in which Bajwa threatened Geo TV with consequences if it did not toe the line of military. The term The Bajwa Doctrine was coined by journalists in the result of that same off the record meeting.[61]

Awards

In 2017, he was awarded a Turkish Legion of Merit for promotion of defence ties between Pakistan and Turkey.[62]

In 2018, he was awarded the Order of the Military Merit by Jordan’s King Abdullah II.[63]

Public image

Bajwa is an avid reader and has keen interest in the history of Europe.[17][2]

He enjoys cricket[2] and was himself a good sportsman who used to play cricket as a wicket-keeper.[10]

Reportedly, Gen. Bajwa doesn't have a "hatred" towards India contrary to an assumption that every high-ranking Pakistani military officer has some sort of a hostility for India[17] and he considers religious extremism to be a bigger threat to national security in Pakistan rather than India.[22]

He is reported to be a genuine military man with no interest in politics[22] and the one who remains well-connected with the junior officers and troops, and does not seek attention and protocol.[33]

References

  1. 1 2 Dawn.com (29 November 2016). "General Bajwa takes charge as Pakistan's 16th army chief". dawn.com. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "General Bajwa's Battle". Newsweek Pakistan. 23 December 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  3. ↑ https://www.tribune.com.pk/story/1706751/1-general-bajwa-makes-forbes-powerful-people-2018-list/%3famp=1
  4. 1 2 "Residents of Gakhar Mandi celebrate new COAS appointment". Dawn. Pakistan. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  5. ↑ Banerji, Rana (26 November 2016), "Pakistan Has a New Army Chief. Here's What We Know About Him", The Wire, archived from the original on 29 November 2016, retrieved 1 December 2016
  6. ↑ Staff reporter (28 November 2016), "'No caste system' in Pak Army", The Nation, archived from the original on 29 November 2016, retrieved 1 December 2016
  7. ↑ "Obituary". The News. 27 September 2013. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Shakil, Sheikh (27 November 2016). "General Qamar Bajwa COAS, General Zubair Hayat CJCSC". The News. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Bajwa solid soldier who believes in civilian supremacy". The Nation. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Newly appointed COAS qualified SCC, HSSC from Rawalpindi Sir Syed College". The Nation. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 "Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa chosen as new army chief". Dawn. Pakistan. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "General Qamar Javed Bajwa appointed Pakistan Army chief". Geo. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa appointed new army chief – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "How the 'dark horse' rose as army chief – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "COAS visits Sialkot, recollects memories". Dawn. Pakistan. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 "Who will be the next army chief?". Dawn. Pakistan. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Pakistan's new army chief Bajwa 'knows a lot about what India thinks'". hindustan times/. 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Lt Gen Qamar Javed new Commander 10 Corps". The News. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Recorder, Business (19 September 2016). "Next Army chief: Lieutenant-General Qamar Bajwa strongest candidate?". Business Recorder. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Will Qamar Javed Bajwa be as hostile as Raheel Sharif to India? – Times of India". The Times of India. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  21. ↑ "Ex-Indian army chief praises Pakistan's incoming chief Gen Bajwa". Dawn. Pakistan. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa chosen as new army chief". Dawn. Pakistan. 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ex-Indian army chief praises Gen Qamar Jawed Bajwa – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  24. ↑ "24 brigadiers made major generals". The News. 9 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  25. ↑ "Goodbye Gen Raheel, who's next?". The News. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  26. ↑ "Who will be the next Army Chief?". Samaa TV. 21 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  27. ↑ "Administration given 10 days to widen spillway". Dawn. Pakistan. 19 June 2010. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  28. ↑ "Military Awards". The News. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "Four major generals made lieutenant general". The News. 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "Four major generals promoted". Dawn. Pakistan. 9 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  31. ↑ "Lt-Gen Qamar new Rawalpindi corps commander: ISPR". Pakistan Today. 12 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  32. ↑ "General Raheel Sharif visits LoC". Dawn. Pakistan. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  33. 1 2 "Who will be the new army chief?". Pakistan Today. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  34. ↑ "INSTALLATION CEREMONY COLONEL IN CHIEF/ COLONEL COMMANDANT OF BALOCH REGIMENT". ISPR. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  35. ↑ "Four army officers including DG ISPR Asim Bajwa made three-star generals". Dawn. Pakistan. 22 September 2015. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  36. ↑ "Four major generals promoted to lieutenant generals". The News. 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  37. ↑ War correspondent, staff wrtier (25 January 2016). "I don't believe in extension, will retire on due date: Gen Raheel Sharif". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  38. ↑ "Lt General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, tipped to be Pakistan Army chief, visits China". The Indian Express. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  39. ↑ Zehra-Malik, Mehreen (2016). "As Pakistan army chief's tenure nears end, PM faces key choice". Reuters. Reuters. Reuters, Pakistan Burea. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  40. ↑ "General Zubair Mahmood Hayat appointed CJCSC". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  41. ↑ Editor, Ashfaq Ahmed, UAE Deputy (29 November 2016). "Pakistan: General Qamar Javed Bajwa takes charge at a critical time". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  42. ↑ "PM picks Gen Qamar Bajwa to head army". Dawn. Pakistan. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  43. ↑ "General Qamar Javed Bajwa takes over as Pakistan's new army chief, vows to improve LoC tension". The Indian Express. 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  44. ↑ "Profile of Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa". The News. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  45. ↑ Masood, Salman (26 November 2016). "Pakistan Names New Military Leader". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  46. ↑ "Pakistani Media on Why Qamar Bajwa Got One of The Country's Top Military Job". NDTV.com. 28 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  47. ↑ Zahra-Malik, Drazen Jorgic and Mehreen (26 November 2016). "Pakistan PM Sharif names General Bajwa as new army chief". Reuters UK. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  48. ↑ "General Qamar Bajwa fourth oldest Pak Army chief". The News. 2 December 2016. Archived from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  49. ↑ "President presents awards to COAS General Bajwa, CJCSC General Hayat". geo.tv. Geo. 31 December 2016. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  50. ↑ "Gen. Bajwa dines at local hotel without security protocol". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  51. ↑ "FATAH: Pakistan surrenders to the mob". Toronto Sun. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  52. ↑ "'Who is the army to adopt mediator's role?'". Pakistan Today. 27 November 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  53. ↑ "Pakistan court slams Army for mediating with protesters". Business Standard India. 27 November 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  54. ↑ Imran, Mohammad (27 November 2017). "Govt asked to satisfy court on 'role of armed forces as an arbitrator' in agreement with protesters". DAWN. Archived from the original on 27 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  55. ↑ "Pakistan army's role in focus as Islamists end blasphemy blockade". Reuters. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  56. ↑ PTI (19 September 2017). "Military had no role in Nawaz Sharif's ouster, says Pakistani Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa" (.cms). The Economic Times. The Economic Times. The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  57. ↑ Ghauri, Irfan (19 December 2017). "You make policy, we follow it, Gen Qamar tells parliament - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  58. ↑ "The Bajwa Doctrine: from chauvinism to realism". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  59. ↑ "Army seeks to quell speculation about 'Bajwa doctrine' - The Express Tribune". tribune.com.pk. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  60. ↑ "Bajwa doctrine does not mention 18th Amendment or judiciary: DG ISPR". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  61. ↑ "Blackout For Pakistani TV Channel Amid Tug-Of-War With Military". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  62. ↑ "COAS Bajwa awarded Turkish Legion of Merit". DAWN.COM. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  63. ↑ http://www.arabnews.pk/node/1381811/pakistan
Military offices
Preceded by
Gen Raheel Sharif		 Chief of Army Staff
2016–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Lt Gen Ikram Ul Haq		 Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation
2015–2016		 Succeeded by
Lt Gen Hidayat Ur Rehman
Preceded by
Lt Gen Khalid Nawaz Khan		 Commander X Corps, Rawalpindi
2013–2015		 Succeeded by
Lt Gen Malik Zafar Iqbal
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