Sahir Shamshad Mirza

General Sahir Shamshad Mirza NI(M) HI(M)
ساحر شمشاد مرزا
18th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 November 2022
President	Arif Alvi Asif Ali Zardari
Preceded by	General Nadeem Raza
Former Commands Corps Commander Rawalpindi In office 7 September 2021 – 26 November 2022 Preceded by Azhar Abbas Succeeded by Shahid Imtiaz 37th Chief of General Staff In office June 2019 – September 2021 Preceded by Nadeem Raza Succeeded by Azhar Abbas Adjutant General at GHQ In office June 2019 – September 2019 Preceded by Faiz Hameed Succeeded by Muhammad Aamer Vice Chief of General Staff – Alpha In office October 2018 – June 2019 Preceded by Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood Succeeded by Major General Muhammad Asim Malik Director General Military Operations In office September 2015 – October 2018 Preceded by Major General Aamer Riaz Succeeded by Major General Nauman Zakaria GOC 40th Infantry Division, D.I. Khan In office February 2015 – September 2015 Succeeded by Major General Abid Mumtaz
Personal details
Born	Mulhal Mughlan, Chakwal District, Pakistan
Parent	Shamshad Mirza (father)
Education	Pakistan Military Academy National Defence University Cranfield University (MSc.)[1]
Awards	Nishan-e-Imtiaz Hilal-e-Imtiaz Order of Bahrain Star of Jordan
Military service
Allegiance	Pakistan
Branch/service	Pakistan Army
Years of service	1987–Present
Rank	General
Unit	8 Sind Regiment
Commands	List of Commands X Corps Chief of General Staff Vice CGS - Alpha Military Operations 40 Infantry Division, Okara Brigade Major of two Infantry Brigades GSO Grade I (Plans) Pakistan Contingent UNOMSIL [2]
Battles/wars	Sierra Leone Civil War Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Operation Zarb-e-Azb

General Sahir Shamshad Mirza NI(M) HI(M) (Urdu: ساحر شمشاد مرزا) is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, currently serving as the 18th Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee^[3] appointed to the post on 27 November 2022.^[4] Prior to his appointment as Commander of X Corps at Rawalpindi, he previously served as 37th Chief of General Staff until he was succeeded by Azhar Abbas.^[5][6]

Early life

Sahir was born to Shamshad Mirza in Mulhal Mughlan, a small village located in Chakwal District. Sahir lost his parents at a young age which led to him being raised as an orphan.^[7]

Military career

Sahir was commissioned into the 8th Sind Regiment of the Pakistan Army after completing the 76th Pakistan Military Academy course on 10 September 1987. He has held commands such as adjutant general at the GHQ, Commander X Corps and Director General and G1M06 at the Military Operations Directorate.^[8] During his assignment at Military Operations, he commanded 40th Infantry Division in Okara.^[9]

Military schooling and teachings

He graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy, Command and Staff College, Quetta and National Defence University, Pakistan. He also received his M.Sc. degree in Global Security from Cranfield University, United Kingdom.^[1]

On 8 December 2022, Sahir received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) award alongside COAS Asim Munir from Arif Alvi at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The top military officials were given the awards in front of Prime Minister of Pakistan, diplomats, lawmakers, and federal ministers.^[10]

Publications

• Lieutenant Colonel Sahir Shamshad Mirza, “Subcontinental Security and Its Impact on World Security: Challenges and the Way Forward”, NDU Journal, 2009.^[11]

Effective dates of promotion

Insignia	Rank	Date
	General	Nov 2022[12]
	Lieutenant General	April 2019
	Major General	February 2015[13]
	Brigadier	September 2012
	Lieutenant Colonel	April 2002
	Major	May 1996
	Captain	April 1991
	Lieutenant	October 1989
	Second Lieutenant	October 1987

Awards and decorations

	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Order of Excellence) (2022)
Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) (Crescent of Excellence) (2018)	Tamgha-e-Diffa (General Service Medal) Siachen Glacier Clasp	Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal) 1998	Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan (Escalation with India Medal) 2002
Tamgha-e-Azm (Medal of Conviction) (2018)	10 Years Service Medal	20 Years Service Medal	30 Years Service Medal
35 Years Service Medal	Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal) 1988	Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day Nishan e Haider Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990	Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1997
Command & Staff College Quetta Instructor's Medal	United Nations UNOMSIL Medal (2 Deployments)	The Order of Bahrain 2nd Class[14] (Bahrain) (2021)	Order of the Star of Jordan[15][16] (Jordan) (2023)

Foreign decorations

Foreign Awards
United Nations	UNOMSIL Medal
Bahrain	The Order of Bahrain (2nd Class)[14]
Jordan	Order of the Star of Jordan (1st Class)[15][16]

References

1. "Nishan-i-Imtiaz Conferred on CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza". 8 December 2022. During his illustrious military career, he served on various Command, Staff and Instructional assignments. His major staff appointments include Brigade Major of two Infantry Brigades, General Staff Officer Grade-1 (Plans) at Pakistan Contingent United Nations Mission Sierra Leone, Director Military Operations and Director General Military Operations, Vice Chief of General Staff, Adjutant General and Chief of General Staff at the General Headquarters. In his instructional appointments, he has been on the faculty of the School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta, Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul and Command and Staff College, Quetta. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has commanded an Infantry Battalion, each in North Waziristan and Shaqma War Zone, and Infantry Brigade along the Working Boundary, an Infantry Division in Operation Al-Mizan and Command of 10 Corps.
2. "Nishan-i-Imtiaz Conferred on CJCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza". December 8, 2022.
3. "PM Shehbaz chooses Lt Gen Asim Munir as COAS, Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad as CJCSC". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
4. Web Desk (2021-09-07). "Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza appointed Commander Rawalpindi Corps: ISPR". The Nation. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
5. "Lt General Sahir Shamshad Mirza Appointed New Chief of Joint Staff: Pak Army". News18. 2019-11-26. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
6. "Lt Gen Azhar Abbas made army's chief of general staff". DAWN.COM. 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
7. "What is 'Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee' and who is its new chairman Gen Sahir Shamshad?". 27 November 2022. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza belongs to Malhal Mughlan, a town of Chakwal district in Punjab. It is said that his father died in his early age and a few months after his father's death, his mother also left this world. After losing his parents, General Sahir Shamshad made his own life through hard work.
8. Banerji, Rana (2019-11-26). "The man who could succeed Pak army chief". Rediff. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
9. "Four promoted to rank of lieutenant general". DAWN.COM. 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
10. "President Alvi confers Nishan-i-Imtiaz (military) on COAS, CJCSC". The Express Tribune. 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
11. Shah, Aqil (2014). The Army and Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan. Harvard University Press. p. 372.
12. "Sahir Shamshad Mirza".
13. https://www.ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail?id=2777 ^{[bare URL]}
14. "Bahrain News: King Hamad highlights Bahrain's strong bilateral ties with Pakistan". www.gdnonline.com. 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
15. "Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan". ispr.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
16. "Jordan's King Abdullah awards medal to Pakistan's General Sahir Shamshad Mirza amid security talks". Arab News PK. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-01-06.