Admiral Naveed Ashraf takes charge as Chief of Naval Staff

ISLAMABAD: Admiral Naveed Ashraf officially assumed the position of Chief of Naval Staff during a change of command ceremony held in Islamabad on Saturday, succeeding his predecessor, Amjad Khan Niazi.

As Admiral (retd) Niazi handed over command to Admiral Ashraf, a guard of honor was presented to the new naval chief. Admiral Ashraf now becomes the 23rd leader of the Pakistan Navy.

Admiral Ashraf’s career in the Pakistan Navy began in 1989 when he was commissioned in the Operations Branch. He is a graduate of the National Defense University in Islamabad, the US Naval War College, and the UK’s Royal College of Defense Studies.

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With a wealth of experience in key command and staff roles, he previously served as the Chief of Staff at the Naval Headquarters and has commanded both the Pakistan Navy Fleet and the Pakistan Naval Academy.

In recognition of his outstanding professional contributions, Admiral Ashraf has been honored with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-i-Basalat awards.

During the ceremony, Admiral (retd) Niazi extended his congratulations to the new naval chief and highlighted the evolving regional dynamics in recent years. He emphasized the importance of incorporating cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence to address the challenges of modern warfare.

Admiral Niazi also underscored the need for Pakistan to counter both traditional and non-conventional threats, including non-state actors and sub-national groups. He expressed concern over the rise of extremism in India.