Who will rule the Air?
February 17, 2012
ISLAMABAD:
The top five air marshals are in the run to become the next air chief, as the Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman will retire by March 18 this year after completing his three-year term.
The president and prime minister would appoint the new air chief much before the actual their heads to appoint new Air Chief much before the actual date of retirement of Air Chie Marshal Suleman on March 18 and the date coincides with the completion of second one year extension of Pakistan super spy master, Director-General Inter-Services intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha.
If the seniority principle is upheld, similar to appointment of Chief of Naval Staff some months back, the senior-most Air Marshal should get the presidential nod to succeed CAS ACM Rao Suleman, said a top official privy to the consultations being held to look into the dossiers of several top officials of the dynamic and potent Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Presently, Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt is on top of the seniority list and being Vice Chief of the Air Staff he stands bright prospects to command PAF, now having received and equipped with several multirole American F-16s aircraft.
When asked to the top official about the chances of giving extension to CAS ACM Rao Qamar Suleman, he categorically stated that in the existing scenario he stands no chance to be given extension, though it is up to the President who can do so if he is advised by the Prime Minister to that effect.
I think the principle of seniority would prevail again this time in the case of appointment of new Air Chief, a source told The News, who added that the present acting Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi would deal this matter purely on merit keeping in view the future requirement of commanding the potent PAF. She is unlikely to be influenced by any outsider, and there are bright chances of dealing this subject purely on merit, said the source.
In the Air Force, many officers are talking about the new Air Chief and that would happen most likely before the current month is out or in the first week of March this year. However, for the sake of seniority
Chairman PAC Kamra Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan is second on the ladder and like Air Marshal Butt, he had a rich experience including Chief Project Director JF-17 and served as Air Attache in India some time back.
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) Air Marshal Waseem ud Din is third on the seniority ladder. Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Administration) Air Marshal Mohammad Hassan is 4th on the seniority list of senior air force officials, and it is followed by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Support) Air Marshal Asim Suleiman.
Who will rule the air?
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