Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum Notified as New DG ISI

    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday approved the appointment of Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum as the new Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with effect from Nov 20, putting an end to speculations and guessing games on the matter. “The prime minister has seen and approved the appointment of Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum as DG ISI, with effect from November 20, 2021, from the panel of officers at para-6 of the summary.

    “The incumbent ISI DG, Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed, will continue to hold charge as the ISI chief till November 19, 2021,” says a notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. The PMO also shared a press release, which said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday. The meeting, it noted, was part of the ongoing consultation process between the prime minister and the army chief about the timing of change of command in ISI and selection of the new DG ISI.

    During the process, a list of officers was received from the Ministry of Defence. The prime minister interviewed all the nominees. “A final round of consultation was held between the PM and the COAS today (Tuesday),” it said.

    After detailed consultative process, the name of Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum was approved as the new DG ISI. Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum, as per the ISPR, was commissioned in the Light Anti-Tank Battalion of the Punjab Regiment. He has diversified experience of command, staff and instructional assignments.

    Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum is a graduate of the Combined Arms Centre, UK; Staff College, Quetta, Advance Staff Course, UK, the NDU, Islamabad, the APCSS, USA, and the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK. He holds a Master’s degree from the King’s College, London, and the NDU Islamabad.

    Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum has vast experience of command in conventional as well as sub-conventional threat environment, read the ISPR statement. It added that he had been on command on both the western border and the LoC besides long service in Balochistan.

    Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum commanded an infantry brigade in South Waziristan, Kurram and Hangu districts during the Operation Zarb-e-Azb and he was IGFC Balochistan during the Operation Raddul Fasad. He has been an instructor at the PMA, Staff College and the NDU. He has been commandant of the Staff College, Quetta. He has also been chief of staff of 5 Corps. His last assignment was Commander 5 Corps, Sindh.

    The appointment comes after nearly three weeks of a speculated standoff between the military and the government over the DG ISI appointment. The media had reported that the army had announced on October 6 that the ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, had been made the Peshawar corps commander, while Lt Gen Anjum was appointed in his place.

    However, the Prime Minister Office had not issued an official notification in that regard, leading to a seemingly unending saga of speculations and rumours about the “difference of opinion between the civilian and military leadership”.