NDU president Lt-Gen Rizwan Akhtar decides to hang uniform

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National Defence University President Lt-Gen Rizwan Akhtar, former director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has decided to take premature retirement.

“I want everyone knowing me to respect my decision and not succumb or resort to speculation in any domain,” Rizwan said in his resignation letter to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, seeking premature release due to some pressing personal commitments.

Gen Rizwan said that he has taken the decision with a heavy heart but with great satisfaction to “hang my uniform on October 9, 2017, after close to 35 years of dedicated active commissioned service.” He said that he would like to place on record his sincere gratitude for all his seniors, comrades and staff, including his family, who had provided constant guidance to him throughout his long career.

He added that it was a matter of great pride and honour for him to have served the army of this great nation. “I shall be available for any service in the army whenever needed,” he concluded. Gen Rizwan was commissioned in the army’s Frontier Force Regiment in September 1982.

He is a graduate of the Command and Staff College in Quetta, National Defence University, Islamabad (NDU) and the United States Army War College, Pennsylvania, USA. At the US Army War College, Gen Rizwan authored a strategy research project report titled ‘US-Pakistan trust deficit and the war on terror’ in fulfilment of the requirements of the Masters in Strategic Studies Degree.

He has also commanded an infantry brigade and division in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) besides serving as the director general of Sindh Rangers and director general of the ISI. As Sindh Rangers DG, Gen Rizwan had been assigned with the task to lead the Karachi operation.

 

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