KARACHI: Lieutenant General Muhammad Saeed on Monday took over the charge as Karachi corps commander. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum handed over the command of Karachi Corps to Lt Gen Saeed at a ceremony held at the corps headquarters here.
Lt Gen Saeed’s posting as the new corps commander was announced by the military in a reshuffle on Oct 6. The same day, Lt Gen Anjum was named as the new director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence. He was notified by Prime Minister Imran Khan as the new spymaster on Oct 26. Lt Gen Anjum’s appointment will take effect from Nov 20 when outgoing ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hamid will assume his new responsibilities as corps commander Peshawar.
Lt Gen Saeed was the president of the National Defence University before his new assignment. He had also served as the director general of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh and in the ISI as a major general. He also served as the deputy assistant military secretary and private secretary to the chief of the army staff.
It may be recalled that on October 25, the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday notified the appointment of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as the new chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He will replace the incumbent Lt Gen Faiz Hameed from next month.
“The prime minister has seen and approved the appointment of … Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum … as director general Inter-Services Intelligence, with effect from November 20, 2021, from the panel of officers,” a notification issued by the PMO dated October 26 said.
Separately, the PMO in a series of tweets said Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had called on Prime Minister Imran earlier today.
“The meeting was part of the ongoing consultation process between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI,” the statement added.
During the consultation process, “a list of officers was received from [the] Ministry of Defence” following which Prime Minister Imran “interviewed all the nominees”, the PMO said, adding that a final round of consultation was held between the premier and the COAS today.
“After this detailed consultative process, name of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum was approved as new DG ISI. The designate DG ISI shall assume charge on November 20, 2021.”
Earlier this month, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had denied reports that Prime Minister Imran was going to interview candidates for the DG ISI office, saying: Prime Minister Imran Khan will just meet all candidates [for the slot of ISI DG]”.
Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, who was commissioned in service in September 1988, earlier headed Corps V in Karachi. Gen Anjum commanded a brigade in Kurram Agency, led Frontier Corps (North) in Balochistan and remained commandant of Command and Staff College Quetta before becoming corps commander Karachi in December 2020.