BY: Nasir Mehmood Kiyani
Pak Army’s media wing has confirmed that former DG ISPR Lt General Asif Ghafoor has been appointed as the new Commander of Southern Command. He was serving as DG Communications at GHQ.
The decision is made after the martyrdom of Commander 12 corps Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali who lost his life among 5 other military officials in an unfortunate helicopter crash in Lasbela, Balochistan on August 1, 2022.
The newly appointed commander 12 corps is also a well-reputed military General. He held key positions throughout his military career. According to the official military record, he has commanded his parent unit in Operation Al-Mizan, Artillery Brigade on Line of Control, Infantry Brigade on Eastern Border and a Division at Swat, Malakand. Lt General Asif Ghafoor is the recipient of the COAS Commendation Card for operations in Bajaur during 2008. He also served on various staff, instructional and command assignments including Assistant Military Secretary MS Branch, GHQ, Directing Staff Command & Staff College Quetta and Director Military Operations in Military Operations Directorate, GHQ.
From December 2016 to January 2020, he headed the military’s media wing known as Inter-Services Public Relations. As DG ISPR, he further modernized the ISPR department and under his command, the military’s media wing brilliantly tackled with the challenges of modern information.
Former Indian Lt General Syed Ata Hussain has also praised the strategy of Lt General Asif Ghafoor as DG ISPR.
“I want to give full marks to the ISPR for the information strategy it has played out. If anyone has ever taught us [India] about the information operation it was the ISPR… it has done a splendid job.”
Indian former Lt Gen Rajesh Pant also appreciated the strategy of Lt General Asif Ghafoor and said, “When they conduct narrative warfare, let’s say in the case of Kashmir, the message they send to Europe is that human rights are being infringed, while when they engage with Islamic nations, they tell them that Islam is under threat, and they tell Southeast Asia that there is a regional instability.”
As commander of the Pak Army’s 12 corps, newly posted Lt General Asif Ghafoor will face multiple challenges including Indian Proxy warfare in Balochistan and will have to deal with Indian-backed terrorist organizations including BLA, BLF and BRAS.
