Karachi (Web Desk): Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf has been appointed as the new Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), after being promoted to the rank of Admiral on Tuesday (Today), according to Pakistan Navy.
Incumbent CNS Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, who was appointed to the post in October 2020, will formally transfer command of the Pakistan Navy during the ‘Change of Command’ ceremony scheduled for October 7, Saturday in Islamabad.
Sources say that the Ministry of Defence on September 27 2023, Wednesday, forwarded a list of the five most senior vice-admirals to Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq for approval of the new naval chief’s appointment for a three-year term.
Vice- Admiral Naveed Ashraf, currently serving as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) at Naval Headquarters, ranks as the most senior among three-star Pakistan Navy officers.
Naveed Ashraf got commission in the Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1989. He is a graduate of National Defense University Islamabad, US Naval War College and UK's Royal College of Defense Studies.
Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf has vast experience of working in key command and staff positions. He is currently serving as the Chief of Staff at the Naval Headquarters.
In recognition of his exceptional professional services and valiance, Naveed Ashraf has also been awarded with Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Basalat.
It is pertinent to mention that the next three vice-admirals on the seniority list are Commander Coastal Areas, Raja Rabnawaz, and Commander Pakistan Fleet, Vice-Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi. They too were promoted as three-star officers in July of this year.
