Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor transferred out of ISPR in major reshuffle

Maj Gen Ghafoor (left) transferred to 40th Infantry Division (Okara) as general officer commanding. He will be replaced by Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar (right).

ISLAMABAD: In a major reshuffle, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor will leave his post as director general Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and be replaced by Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar.

Maj Gen Ghafoor’s services have been transferred to the 40th Infantry Division (Okara), where he will serve as the general officer commanding (GOC). 

"Thanks to everyone I have remained associated with during the tenure," Maj Gen Ghafoor wrote on Twitter from the @OfficialDGISPR handle as news of his transfer broke. He had headed the military's media arm since December 2016.

"My very special thanks to Media all across. Can’t thank enough fellow Pakistanis for their love and support.

"Best wishes to [the] new DG ISPR for his success."

He also tweeted from his personal Twitter account, expressing gratitude towards the people for the love and support he received during his tenure as the DG ISPR.

Maj Gen Ghafoor was posted as the DG ISPR in December 2016, replacing Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa as the head of the military's media wing. 

As per the ISPR, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, who is a graduate of the Command & Staff College Quetta, Command & Staff College Bandung (Indonesia) and NDU Islamabad — was commissioned on September 9, 1988 in 87 Medium Regiment. 

The profile of the former DG ISPR read: "The general has served on various staff, instructional and command assignments to include Brigade Major Infantry Brigade, Assistant Military Secretary MS Branch, GHQ, Directing Staff Command & Staff College Quetta and Director Military Operations in Military Operations Directorate, GHQ."

Who is new DG ISPR Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar?

According to the ISPR, Major General Babar Iftikhar studied from Quetta Law College, graduated from National Defense University Islamabad, where he also taught as faculty member later on.

The new DG ISPR is also a graduate from Royal Command and Staff College Jordan.

The ISPR said Maj Gen Iftikhar has vast experience in command, staff and instruction. He also served as a brigade major and brigade staff for an infantry division in North Waziristan.

In operation Zarb-e-Azb, Maj Gen Iftikhar also commanded the armoured and infantry brigades.

Apart from teaching at the NDU, the Major General also taught at the Pakistan Military Academy.