Air Marshal Tahir Rafiq new Chief of Pakistan Air Force

On advice of the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, the government on Tuesday named Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt as the new Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The premier advised the President, the supreme commander of Pakistan’s armed forces, to appoint Butt the new chief of the PAF as he is the senior-most serving officer, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Air Marshal Butt will replace Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, who is scheduled to retire on March 18, after completing his three year term.

Earlier on day, Gilani held a meeting with Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. The two discussed the security situation along with professional matters pertaining to the country’s defence, the official press statement said.

Later on, the Prime Minister took a short trip from Prime Minister House to the Aiwan-e-Sadr where he briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on matters pertaining to current situation, by-elections, senate elections as per a press release, and on the appointment of a new air chief.

According to the media reports, five air marshals were in the race to become the next PAF chief. The government, however, upheld the principle of seniority, like it did for the appointment of Naval Chief last year.

The Prime Minister under the constitution has the prerogative to appoint services chiefs. In the past, there were instances when the sitting prime ministers overlooked the principle of seniority in appointing services chiefs.

The successful term of Air Chief Marshal Suleman involved key inductions including the serial production and induction of the JF-17 fighter aircraft that Pakistan co-developed with China. We have seen new block 52 F-16 D aircrafts and the up-gradation of the existing F-16 block 15, A and B fighters in his regime.

Furthermore, Pakistan expanded its global role, selling its indigenous aircraft, the K-8 to Bolivia to help counter-narcotics, and smuggling operations. But most reasons to remember Rao Qamar Suleman will be his famous remarks that, contrary to government claims, the PAF had the capability to shoot down the U.S. spy planes.

His charges also came under scrutiny after the American forces managed to infiltrate Pakistani airspace, flew to Abbottabad, conducted a secret operation, and flew out without confrontation.

The capability of PAF was most recently questioned when NATO aircraft attacked the Pakistani security check post on Salala last year.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=14245

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Feb 29 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.