In this article "Explore the history of Pakistan's military leaders with this comprehensive article on the past Army Chiefs of Pakistan. From the founding of the country to present day, learn about the key figures who have shaped the Pakistan army and the country's history."
| No. | Name | Tenure Start | Tenure End | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Frank Messervy | August 15, 1947 | February 10, 1948 | First C-in-C, British officer. |
| 2 | General Douglas Gracey | February 11, 1948 | January 16, 1951 | British officer, second C-in-C. |
| 3 | General Muhammad Ayub Khan | January 17, 1951 | October 27, 1958 | First Pakistani Army Chief, later President. |
| 4 | General Muhammad Musa | October 27, 1958 | June 17, 1966 | Served during the 1965 Indo-Pak War. |
| 5 | General Yahya Khan | June 18, 1966 | December 20, 1971 | Led Pakistan during the 1971 war; later President. |
| 6 | General Gul Hassan Khan | December 20, 1971 | March 3, 1972 | Brief tenure, removed by Prime Minister. |
| 7 | General Tikka Khan | March 3, 1972 | March 1, 1976 | First Chief of Army Staff (COAS). |
| 8 | General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq | March 1, 1976 | August 17, 1988 | Military ruler from 1977 to 1988. |
| 9 | General Mirza Aslam Beg | August 17, 1988 | August 16, 1991 | Took over after Zia-ul-Haq's death. |
| 10 | General Asif Nawaz Janjua | August 16, 1991 | January 8, 1993 | Passed away while in office. |
| 11 | General Abdul Waheed Kakar | January 12, 1993 | January 12, 1996 | Facilitated democratic transition. |
| 12 | General Jehangir Karamat | January 12, 1996 | October 6, 1998 | Resigned over policy differences. |
| 13 | General Pervez Musharraf | October 7, 1998 | November 28, 2007 | Led a military coup and ruled as President. |
| 14 | General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani | November 29, 2007 | November 29, 2013 | Extended tenure; focused on counterterrorism. |
| 15 | General Raheel Sharif | November 29, 2013 | November 29, 2016 | Gained popularity for anti-terror efforts. |
| 16 | General Qamar Javed Bajwa | November 29, 2016 | November 29, 2022 | Oversaw critical regional developments. |
| 17 | General Asim Munir | November 29, 2022 | Present (as of 2024) | Current COAS. |
General Frank Walter Messervy
General Frank Walter Messervy KCB, KBE, DSO, MC (1893-1974) was a British Indian Army officer who served in World War I and World War II, who become first Pakistan army chief after the independence of Pakistan.
He is best known for his service as the commander of the British Indian Army's 7th Indian Infantry Division during the East Africa Campaign and the Western Desert Campaign, and later as the commander of the British Indian Army's IV Corps during the Burma Campaign.
After the war, he served as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army from 1948 to 1951.
General Sir Frank Messervy, Pakistan's first commander-in-chief, retired from his post after less than one year. It is believed that his refusal to follow orders from Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the primary reason for his early retirement.
General Douglas David Gracey
General Douglas David Gracey KCB, KBE, DSO, MC (1894-1958) was a British Indian Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II, He was the second army chief of the Pakistan.
He is best known for his service as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army from 1947 to 1948 and later as the Governor of East Pakistan from 1948 to 1951.
He was responsible for the integration of the Princely states of Pakistan into the newly formed country, and was instrumental in the formation of the Pakistan Army.
His tenure as the commander-in-chief of Pakistan army was marked by controversy and his policies were heavily criticized by the local political leaders.
General Douglas Gracey also refused Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah's orders to send troops to the Kashmiri front.
Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan
Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan (1907-1974) was a Pakistani general and statesman who served as the President of Pakistan from 1958 until 1969. He was the third army chief of Pakistan.
He was one of Pakistan's most prominent military leaders and played a key role in the country's politics during the Cold War. He rose to prominence as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army during the late 1950s, and later played a key role in the 1958 coup that brought him to power.
He served as President until 1969, during which time he implemented a number of economic and political reforms, but his rule was marked by political repression and a growing sense of disillusionment among the population.
He was forced to resign in 1969 and lived in exile until his death in 1974.
This refusal was one of the reasons for his premature retirement. He was the last British Army chief to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, as the country began to rely more on its own military leaders after his tenure.
Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan was Pakistan's first native four-star general and the country's only self-appointed field marshal.
He came to power as President of Pakistan in 1958 through a military coup, and was the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army for over six years before appointing a successor.
He was the president of Pakistan for over a decade and was known for implementing various economic and political reforms during his tenure, but his rule was marked by political repression, and a growing sense of disillusionment among the population.
General Muhammad Musa Khan
General Muhammad Musa Khan (1899-1971) was a Pakistani four-star general and the fourth Commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, serving from 1958 to 1966.
He played a key role in the military and politics of Pakistan during the 1960s. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army after the retirement of President Ayub Khan and he was in charge during the 1965 war with India and the operation in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971.
He retired in 1966 and was succeeded by General Yahya Khan. He was also appointed as the Governor of East Pakistan in 1969 but resigned in 1970 due to the growing political tension between East and West Pakistan.
He played a key role in the military and politics of Pakistan during the 1960s. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army after the retirement of President Ayub Khan and he was in charge during the 1965 war with India and the operation in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971.
He retired in 1966 and was succeeded by General Yahya Khan. He was also appointed as the Governor of East Pakistan in 1969 but resigned in 1970 due to the growing political tension between East and West Pakistan.
General Yahya Khan
General Yahya Khan (1917-1980) was a Pakistani military officer and statesman who served as the President of Pakistan from 1969 until 1971. He was the 5th army chief of pakistan.
He was the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army from 1966 to 1971, and is best known for his role in the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence.
He came to power following the resignation of President Ayub Khan, and his presidency was marked by increasing political turmoil and civil unrest.
Yahya Khan made the decision to go to war with India in 1971 to prevent the separation of East Pakistan, which led to the independence of Bangladesh.
The war resulted in a military defeat for Pakistan and Yahya Khan resigned as President soon after. He was arrested and placed under house arrest, but was later released and lived in exile in London until his death in 1980.
General Gul Hassan Khan
General Gul Hassan Khan (1913-1988) was a Pakistani four-star general and the chief of general staff of the Pakistan Army. He served in this position from 1971 to 1972. He was the 6th Army Chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed as Chief of General Staff after the 1971 war with India, which led to the independence of Bangladesh and the fall of the Yahya Khan regime.
He was one of the highest-ranking officers in the Pakistan Army at that time and played an important role in the transition of power from Yahya Khan to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
He also served as governor of East Pakistan from 1972 to 1973 and he was appointed as Pakistan's Ambassador to Turkey from 1973 to 1975. He resigned from the army in 1975 and later wrote his memoirs, "The 1971 war with India: A soldiers version".
General Tikka Khan
General Tikka Khan (1915-2002) was a Pakistani four-star general and statesman who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 1972 to 1976 and as the Governor of East Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. He was the 7th Army chief of Pakistan.
He is best known for his role as the chief martial law administrator during the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence, where he was responsible for the military operations against the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan.
He is also known for his controversial actions during the war, including his use of the term "kill three million of them" in reference to Bengali citizens, which led to charges of genocide and war crimes.
After the war, he was appointed as Governor of East Pakistan and later as the Chief of Army Staff, but his tenure was marked by political turmoil and civil unrest. He resigned from the army in 1976 and later lived in retirement.
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1924-1988) was a Pakistani four-star general and statesman who served as the President of Pakistan from 1978 until his death in 1988. He was the 8th army chief of Pakistan.
He was the Chief of Army Staff from 1976 to 1978 and is best known for his role in the 1977 Pakistani coup d'état, which led to the overthrow of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his own rise to power.
He served as President for over a decade, during which time he implemented a number of economic and political reforms, but his rule was marked by political repression and a growing sense of disillusionment among the population.
He was also known for his role in the Afghan War (1979-1989) where he supported the Afghan Mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He died in a plane crash in 1988 and his death is still shrouded in mystery.
General Mirza Aslam Beg
General Mirza Aslam Beg (born 1933) is a retired four-star general of the Pakistan Army who served as its Chief of Army Staff from 1988 to 1991. He was the 9th army chief of Pakistan.
He is known for his role as the chief of army staff during the tenure of President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and for his support for the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War.
After Zia's death in a plane crash, Beg took over as the chief of army staff and served until his retirement in 1991. He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1988 to 1991.
During his tenure, Beg was involved in several controversies, including the alleged involvement of Pakistan's military intelligence agency, the ISI in the 1990 general election, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to other countries.
After retiring, he became an active politician and also served as the president of the Defense Society of Pakistan.
General Asif Nawaz Janjua
General Asif Nawaz Janjua (1937-1993) was a Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 1991 until his death in 1993. He was the 10th army chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Mirza Aslam Beg and served until his sudden death of a heart attack in 1993. During his tenure, he was known for his efforts to modernize the Pakistan Army and for his efforts to improve the relationship between the military and the government.
He also played a key role in the country's political and economic development. He was a vocal advocate of democracy and civilian control of the military, and his death was considered a major loss to the country.
His death was widely mourned in Pakistan, and his funeral was attended by thousands of people, including political leaders and military officials.
General Abdul Waheed Kakar
General Abdul Waheed Kakar (1938-2013) was a Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 1993 to 1996. He was the 11th Army chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed to the position after the death of General Asif Nawaz Janjua. During his tenure, he oversaw the withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the Kargil region of Indian-administered Kashmir, which had been occupied by Pakistan-backed militants, marking the end of the Kargil War.
He also served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1993 to 1996. He was known for his professional approach and for his efforts to modernize the Pakistan Army.
He retired from the army in 1996 and later served as an advisor to the Ministry of Defence and as a member of the National Defence University's board of governors. He died in 2013.
General Jehangir Karamat
General Jehangir Karamat (born 1940) is a retired Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 1996 to 1998. He was the 12th army chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Abdul Waheed Kakar. During his tenure, he was known for his efforts to modernize the Pakistan Army, his efforts to improve the relationship between the military and the government, and his efforts to improve Pakistan's relations with neighboring countries.
He also played a key role in the country's political and economic development. He was the first army chief in Pakistan's history to advocate for a "national security council" which would have the civilian government and military leaders working together on national security policy.
He resigned from his position in 1998 after a disagreement with then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over the proposed national security council. After his retirement, he remained active in public life, serving as a security and defense analyst and commentator.
General Pervez Musharraf
General Pervez Musharraf (born 1943) is a retired Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 1998 to 2007 and as the President of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008.He was the 13th army chief of Pakistan.
He came to power in 1999 in a bloodless coup, ousting the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. During his tenure as President, he implemented a number of economic and political reforms, but his rule was marked by political repression and a growing sense of disillusionment among the population.
He was also known for his role in the War on Terror, as Pakistan was a key ally of the United States in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan. He also played a key role in the country's political and economic development.
He resigned as President in 2008 and went into self-imposed exile. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to face legal charges but was granted amnesty by the Pakistani government. He currently lives in Pakistan and remains active in political and public life.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani (born 1952) is a retired Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 2007 to 2013. He was the 14th army Chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Pervez Musharraf. During his tenure, he oversaw the Pakistan Army's operations against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and was also involved in the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
He also played a key role in the country's political and economic development. He was known for his efforts to modernize the Pakistan Army and for his efforts to improve the relationship between the military and the government.
He also played an important role in maintaining stability in the country during a period of political turmoil. He retired from the army in 2013 and since then he has not been active in politics.
General Raheel Sharif
General Raheel Sharif (born 1956) is a Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 2013 to 2016.He was the 14th army chief of Pakistan.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. During his tenure, he oversaw the Pakistan Army's operations against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and was also involved in the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
He was also instrumental in improving the relationship between the military and the government, and in maintaining stability in the country during a period of political turmoil. He was also popular among the public and is credited for improving the image of Pakistan army.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa
General Qamar Javed Bajwa (born 1960) is a Pakistani four-star general who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army from 2016 to November 2022.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Raheel Sharif. During his tenure, he continued the ongoing operation against the Taliban and other militant groups in the tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and was also involved in the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
He also played a key role in improving the relationship between the military and the government, and in maintaining stability in the country during a period of political turmoil.
He was also instrumental in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and the development of Gwadar port.
His tenure was also marked by increased efforts to improve the human rights situation in Balochistan, and to bring an end to the long-standing conflict in the region. He was succeeded by General Nadeem Raza in November 2022.
He also played a key role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He retired from the army in 2016 and has since avoided taking any political position or role.
General Asim Munir
General Asim Munir Ahmed (born 1962) is a Pakistani four-star general who served as the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the primary intelligence agency of Pakistan, from 2016 to 2018 and now serving as a Current army chief of Pakatan.
He was appointed to the position after the retirement of General Rizwan Akhtar. During his tenure, General Asim Munir played a key role in the fight against terrorism and extremism in Pakistan, and was also involved in the country's counter-terrorism efforts.
He also played a key role in improving the relationship between the military and the government, and in maintaining stability in the country during a period of political turmoil.
He is known for his focus on improving the human rights situation in Balochistan, and for his efforts to bring an end to the long-standing conflict in the region. He also served as a corps commander from 2010 to 2016 and was appointed as the head of ISI.
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