General Raheel Sharif (Urdu: راحیل شریف; born 16 June 1956), NI(M), HI(M), is a four-star rank army general, served as the 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 29 November 2013. He retired on 28 November 2016[4]
He carried out operations in North Waziristan, namely Operation Zarb-e-Azb which stabilised the North-west of the country.[5] He expa
nded the role of paramilitaries in Karachi which is widely credited with reducing the level of violence in Pakistan's commercial capital.[6] The Pakistani military under his command has also supported the democratically elected government on the federal level and the Baloch provincial and local government in ending the Balochistan insurgency by pursuing reconcilliation[7] and integration of former militants back into mainstream Pakistani society.[8][9][10] General Sharif also developed a new brigade-level military unit to help protect and secure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which runs through Balochistan province.[11] General Sharif helped to develop Pakistan's indigenous defence industry which resulted in the savings of more than $1.14 billion of Pakistan's forex, over a year and half time period.[12]
General Sharif achieved his objectives by strengthening the role of the military in affairs directly concerning national security and foreign policy, while leaving the civilian government of Nawaz Sharif in control of social and economic policy.[13] General Sharif overruled Nawaz Sharif on any attempted peace overtures with India.[14] General Raheel Sharif reconciled Pakistan with America by striking against militant groups near the Afghan border,[15] the Pakistani military carried out its first joint military exercises with Russia,[16] and Pakistan deepend relations with China,[17] are his signature foreign policy achievements.[18][19]
He became the first Pakistani general to retire on time and not seek an extension in over twenty years.[20][21] General Sharif has said that he is "ready to serve Pakistan" even after his retirement through helping military veterans.[22][23] General Sharif has left a respected legacy in Pakistan, he is widely credited with reducing terrorism inside the country, violence in the country has been reduced to its lowest level since 2006[24] with an overall decline of 70% in terrorist attacks under his tenure.[25]
