June 19, 2013 | Shaba'an 9, 1434


Gen Asif replaces Nargis as defence secretary

Our Staff Reporter
Updated 2012-07-30 08:43:14

nargis-sethi-ppi-670

nargis-sethi-ppi-670

Nargis Sethi. — Photo by PPI

ISLAMABAD, July 27: The government appointed on Friday Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik as new defence secretary in place of Nargis Sethi who had been given the additional charge of defence ministry’s top bureaucrat in January this year.

Ms Sethi was assigned the job after the dismissal of Lt-Gen (retd) Naeem Khalid Lodhi at the peak of a civil-military standoff over the infamous memogate affair.

Gen Asif Malik retired from active service last December as commander of the Peshawar-based 11 Corps. While commanding the corps, he oversaw counter-insurgency operations in tribal areas.

The new defence secretary, who had attended training courses in the US, will hit the ground running with signing next week a bilateral MoU with the US on transit of cargo.

The MoU was approved by the federal cabinet this week.

Gen Malik’s colleagues describe him as a soldier to the core and a no-nonsense man.

In another important appointment announced by the government on Friday, Information Group Officer Shafqat Jalil was made press secretary to the prime minister. He replaces Akram Shaheedi who was working on contract.

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Comments are closed.

Comments (61)

Saba
July 31, 2012 9:57 pm
What we need is SINCERITY in our leaders. Who ever can keep the interest of Pakistan in mind is the right person for the job. As far as our armed forces are concerned, they have and continue to sacrifice for us so we should support them rather than become a prt of western propaganda in blaming them for everything. Some generals have made mistakes in the past( that too because of the incompetence of our politicos) but this in no way means all of them are corrupt.
Hassan Aftab
July 31, 2012 8:45 am
Job of section officer will be too complicated for intellectually challenged soldiers. Let them do what they do best; carve available land into plots and stake their claims.
shaukat ali chughtai
July 30, 2012 12:33 pm
Under the prevalent circumstances, the appointment of Defence Secretary, amilitary person is a good move. Incompetent ministers who cannot read the office notes and cannot right four lines english cannot be given such responsibilities. Bureaucracy must be strengthened but current situation demands that decision.
shankar
July 30, 2012 10:33 am
India does not give a damn about who Pakistan's defence secretary is as long as it is not Hafeez Sayeed!
Cyrus Howell
July 29, 2012 6:29 pm
Is there any doubt the people of Pakistan have to take their government back?
m furqan
July 29, 2012 4:47 pm
For all who are pro man-from-army must know that such person must surrender first to the idea of democracy and the people's rule through obedience to civil government and not to their past bosses in the Army. That was the reason Lodhi was fired. Mr Asif Malik must remember his bosses are the Public Leaders in the offices of executive and parliament and definitely not the current Generals. Any collaborations or back door channels like before shall not be tolerated by the public office. He was hired and can be fired by the Prime Minister at any time. Army shall not have any right to stop that. In the end, I Hope his posting was not because of any back door deal between the Govt and Army, if that's true the Govt has shot itself in the foot.
khan
July 29, 2012 4:38 pm
Ha ha ha. Did you ever think what back ground do our leaders have?
Garib Manus
July 29, 2012 4:07 pm
Dear Sir, What did India Gandhi do to Pak?
Sohaib YAHIA
July 29, 2012 2:35 pm
It is impossible to keep the army of our pure land away from meddling into affairs that are neither their forte nor, generally speaking, meant for them elsewhere in a civilized democratic country. On top, when they make a mess of it, they very conveniently shift the blame on the people representatives. This is the enigma our country has been facing since its birth and has been the root cause of the state of affairs we find ourselves in today.
r.s.soni
July 29, 2012 2:14 pm
sir, i am very happy a crore commander is appointed as defence secretary, in Pakistan opinion is polarised military v/s civilian. i want to mention for the benefit of both that both civilian politicians and miltary top brass have equal unquenchable thrust for money. please don't fight. over this issue. you are at the receiving end
r.s.soni
July 29, 2012 2:02 pm
yes, very much. what is the doubt?
NASAH (USA)
July 29, 2012 12:44 pm
I don't know about the Army Chief -- that does look like absurd -- but making Ms. Sethi Corp Commander 111th Infantry Brigade also called Coup Brigade -- responsible for the 'safety' of the President and the Prime minister -- may be the safest bet against a judicial coup. By the way if General Asif can be a secretary -- secretary Sethi can be a corp commander. Can't she?
U M
July 29, 2012 10:15 am
R e l a x . . . !
asfi
July 29, 2012 10:14 am
Whats that clean record please. Do not be generic, give statistics. Dealing with incompetent leaders like Zardari, Karzai and Kings does not make one qualify to be competent.
Dr Imran Ahmed
July 29, 2012 9:55 am
Sarcasm does not work here, your comments are likely to be taken literally. Agree with your sentiments.
Zaheer
July 29, 2012 8:38 am
The Army has been in power for decades...and has destroyed the political and the social fabric of our country..Please avoid false information....
waheed
July 29, 2012 8:12 am
Army personel have no business in Government. Please get the serving generals to do their job of protecting borders and the retired Army should just retire and should never be given jobs in Government as secrataries or as ambassadors. Please let Army be Army with no jobs in civilian admin
Ghulam Abbas Rehan
July 29, 2012 7:32 am
its right selection of of suitable person at a suitable time Sethi must now go her original job. Defense is sensitive matter that genaral can perform well best wishes for general ,but critic were and are already there.
akhter husain
July 29, 2012 7:10 am
Why is this hue and cry over appointment of a general as secretary defense Does he not know about the job he was trained for all along his long career to become the General?I think we should let the people do their and trust their competence.
Syed Ali
July 29, 2012 6:12 am
Grow up, remember what Indira Gandhi has done to Pakistan, and Margaret Thatcher to Argentina. Learn Lessons from history.
Syed Ali
July 29, 2012 6:09 am
You don't know how to get to be a general; study military.
Naumaan
July 29, 2012 5:57 am
Dr, I think you don't know the job grade of a Lt. General. He is equal to a FS while they retire before the age of 60 so can serve well. Criticism is good but should be constructive.
Naumaan
July 29, 2012 5:54 am
Dear Dr., if he doesn't have background for a civil service post then off-course Rahman Malik does have :) ..... or the ambassadors of UK and US may have :) ....
zulfi
July 29, 2012 5:50 am
agreed. very true. any government is better than zardari govt. at least people have some relief in other governments.
space123
July 29, 2012 4:54 am
r u an indian or r u an american mouthpiece ? because no one who has the right intentions for Pakistan will blindly say the military should leave these looter of ppp to loot the country blindly forever. In either case its pakistans internal issue, we dont need foreign mouthpieces advice.
Sandip
July 29, 2012 3:04 am
Does most of the world mean Pakistan for you? Since other than Pakistan, I don't know of any other country where defence sec is from military.
shafiqrao
July 29, 2012 12:59 am
Army is dealing with the defense matter since beginning and should these matters be in hands of the most culprit politicians, the country would be in a ditch. Even for the defense secretary, the post is just a formality because COAS will anyhow do the plugs.
Dr Imran Ahmed
July 28, 2012 10:44 pm
The retired general has no background for a civil service post, if age allows him to be re-employed perhaps it would be more appropriate to post him as a Section Officer, the present posting appears as absurd as posting Ms Sethi as Army Chief?
bahadur ali
July 28, 2012 10:31 pm
A right man has been chosen for a right job ,good an timely decision.
Alam
July 28, 2012 10:23 pm
I agree with the move. Defense matters should be handled by defense experts.
Ijaz Mir
July 28, 2012 10:10 pm
Defence secretary is a very important position and the person in charge must have a military back ground regarding defence of Pakistan. Defence minster is a political post .any one from ruling party can be defence minster. But my fears are when this new appointee will be dismissed by the prime minster.. It happened once and it will happen again.
desi
July 28, 2012 8:43 pm
Not usually,not necessarily but it helps if they have a military back ground or if you are or ever were a part of the military or defense committee.
Salman
July 28, 2012 8:09 pm
Civilians are incompetent and corrupt.
Bakhtawer Bilal
July 28, 2012 6:46 pm
I totally agree. If military has to do everything with anything that has a word "defense" or "foreign" then why don't they simply make sitting generals as defense minister and minister of foreign affairs. Oh I forgot, they are not that brave to do the things up front.
Rafiq
July 28, 2012 6:28 pm
interesting. was trained in US.
Dr Imran Ahmed
July 28, 2012 6:26 pm
The retired general has no background for a civil service post, if age allows him to be re-employed perhaps it would be more appropriate to post him as a Section Officer?
Dr Imran Ahmed
July 28, 2012 6:18 pm
If the new appointee was retired from the army as presumably he is too old to carry on a responsible military job how come he gets a double promotion to an important Federal Secretary post?
Muhammad Ashfaq
July 28, 2012 6:16 pm
civilians will get powers only when they are capable, honest and sincere with their profession of politics - if they are not, other powers will keep on creating troubles for them
Hameed
July 28, 2012 5:28 pm
I am surprised to see people who are so eager to put their comments without knowing the job details, Its a defense secretary job that needs years of defense related education and on ground experience. People who think Army is coward, why don't they join Aman Laskars and go defend your country. its easier to make a comment than to serve a country in true spirit. Don't vote if you don't like above mentioned political party, we don't need commentators, we have enough, we need people in action with aim and ambition.
ccfdsf dfg
July 28, 2012 5:11 pm
I agree
NASAH (USA)
July 28, 2012 4:56 pm
Is this a mini coup?
khan
July 28, 2012 4:42 pm
Can't you see the politicians are incompetent of the highest degree.
khan
July 28, 2012 4:40 pm
Because the politician are very well known oxymorons.
Syed Hamid Ahmed
July 28, 2012 4:33 pm
PPP never been in power for decades, quit miss representing.
Asad
July 28, 2012 3:03 pm
If your politicians were so good than Pakistan wont be standing where it is standing now. Military is doing more than its capacity and much better than politicians and this is a post of soldier not a civilian.
asma tanoli
July 28, 2012 2:54 pm
being a defence secretary entitles the person to another plot in any defence society. So Nargis Sethi has come out well.
Capt Khan
July 28, 2012 2:43 pm
Ms Sethi has been a wonderful cabinet seceretary and she would continue to do so. Traditionally in most of the world defence seceretaries are former military officers. Thanks to Ms Sethi for excellent additional work. Good luck General Asif.
Aziz
July 28, 2012 2:39 pm
@Rida . Correct An externally inspired change indeed! It proves the dictum that the ' un-cooperative and unpredictable civilians' are a headache for the minders rather than a straight command and control structure.
Malik Khalfan
July 28, 2012 2:39 pm
Spot on ! they spend all their lives enjoying the perks and facilities the Khaki has to offer, retire with tons of money and plots and then they want to pull strings to secure a berth in civil bureaucracy. Why cant they just call it a day, enjoy their retirement and let some real competent and qualified civilian to handle the job.
Aamir, San Diego USA
July 28, 2012 2:24 pm
There is not doubt that she is an extremely competent diplomat. You have to look at her record. Not her gender.
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