Gen Aamer Raza promoted to four-star General, named Strategic Command Chief
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Shehbaz Sharif congratulated General Aamer Raza on both his promotion and his new appointment, wishing him success in carrying out what the statement described as an important responsibility. The Prime Minister's Office also shared the announcement on X, alongside a photo of Shehbaz Sharif meeting the newly promoted general in Islamabad.
Islamabad, 24 July 2026.
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) July 24, 2026
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced the promotion of Lieutenant General Aamer Raza, HI(M), SBt, Chief of the General Staff of Pakistan Army, to the rank of “Four-Star General” and his appointment as “Commander National Strategic… pic.twitter.com/U1Qk2K5nsl
The Commander, National Strategic Command, position is newly created, established following amendments to the Pakistan Army, Air Force, and Navy laws approved in 2025. The same legislative changes also introduced the separate post of Chief of Defence Forces, currently held by Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Under the revised framework, the National Strategic Command replaces the role previously performed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, a position last held by General Shamshad Mirza before it was phased out. The updated law gives the prime minister authority to select the new command's chief from among serving army generals, and General Aamer Raza becomes the first officer to hold the post.
General Aamer Raza was commissioned into the Pakistan Army's 6th Lancers in 1988 and has held a range of senior command and staff positions throughout his career, including Commander of IV Corps in Lahore and Chairman of Heavy Industries Taxila, before his recent role as Chief of the General Staff at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
He received his professional military training at the Command and Staff College in Quetta and the National Defence University in Islamabad, and holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Nottingham along with advanced qualifications in warfare and strategic studies.
Analysts have described the appointment as part of a wider effort to bring Pakistan's military leadership structure in line with the constitutional and legal changes introduced last year. Under the new law, the appointment of a Vice Chief of Army Staff, also a four-star rank, is now mandatory. Further, senior military appointments are expected in the coming weeks as the new command structure is completed.
