General (Pakistan)

This article is about thePakistan Armyrank. For other countries that use corresponding rank, seeGeneral.

General
Insignia with crossed swords and laurel device of a four-star general
Illustration of a general with corresponding stars
Country	Pakistan
Service branch	Pakistan Army
Abbreviation	GEN
Rank	Four-star
Next higher rank	Field marshal
Next lower rank	Lieutenant general
Equivalent ranks	Admiral(Pakistan Navy) Air chief marshal(Pakistan Air Force)

General/pɑːkistɑːnidʒɛnərəl/;Urdu:جنرل;abbreviated asGEN) is afour-stargeneral officerrankof thePakistan Army,officially used by thegovernment of Pakistanto denote a supreme leader of the army.It is given to an army general officer (usually a lieutenant general) upon promotion or possibly a position advancement with abasic pay scaleof 22 (BPS-22).It is the highest rank in thearmed services,immediately ranks above three-starlieutenant generaland below five-starfield marshal.Since it is denoted by a four-star rank, it is equivalent to the rank ofadmiralandair chief marshal.The Pakistan army is led by a senior four-star general asChief of Army Staff(COAS). The army chief also serves as a senior member of theJoint Chiefs of Staff Committee(JCSC).A new Chief of Army Staff is not always the most senior of the eligible generals; indeed, as of 2016, the new COAS has been the most senior candidate only four of fourteen times.Army general is a powerful rank in the country designed to command security affairs with military leadership privileges.

Theinsigniaof a four-star general consists of shoulder stars, crossed swords and laurel device. The country's army is headed by two four-star officers, the COAS and theChairman of the JCSC,with distinct positions, powers and responsibilities.The COAS has the power to command the armed forces, to ask for the written opinion of the military, and to promote or dismiss other officers as commissioned by the army law.

Currently serving 4-star generals inPakistan armyare mentioned below:

Appointment

Four-star rank goes hand-in-hand with the positions of JCSC member and COAS, so this rank is not permanent. A general is directly nominated for appointment to four-star rank by thePresident of Pakistanin a joint effort with the prime minister who plays a key role in promoting, appointing or reappointment of a general. The term of service (or extension of an existing term of service) is usually decided as commissioned by the constitution.In case the reappointment or service extension is found ineligible or otherwise unauthorized, theSupreme Courtmay overrule the government order.

See also

• List of serving generals of the Pakistan Army