Noman Bashir

Noman Bashir

Admiral Bashir in 2010
Birth name Noman Bashir
Nickname(s) Admiral Bashir
Allegiance  Pakistan
Service/branch Pakistan Navy
Years of service 1971 - 2011
Rank Admiral
Service number (PN No. 1471)
Unit Naval Operations Branch
Commands held
Battles/wars
Awards
Relations Salman Bashir (brother)

Noman Bashir (Urdu: نعمان بشير; NI(M), TI(MI, SI(M), HI(M), LM) is a retired four-star rank Admiral who served as the 18th Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) from 7 October 2008 until 7 October 2011.

A distinguished officer in the Pakistan Armed Forces, his appointment was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari on 5 October 2008 upon the retirement of Admiral Afzal Tahir. His appointment was recommended by the Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar after his and the then Chief of Staff (COS) Vice-Admiral Asaf Humayun's names were sent to the President. As Humayun was senior to Bashir, the former was superseded.[1] Later however, Vice Admiral Asaf Humayun was appointed as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) on 31 October 2008.[2]

His brother, Salman Bashir, is also an academic and former Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[3] He earned public fame and international recognition for commanding successful military operations on war on terror, and commanded all combatant naval assets in the war in north-western contingent of Pakistan.[4]

Biography

Early life and education

After graduating from the Army Burn Hall College, Noman Bashir applied and attended the Pakistan Naval Academy and graduated with a Bachelor's degree from there.[5] Bashir gained commissioned as Sub-lieutenant in naval operations branch of Pakistan Navy in June 1973.[5] After completing combat sea training, he served on board various ships and then joined the naval aviation to be graduated as a helicopter pilot.[6] He has commanded two aviation squadrons, two ships (frigate and corvette) and the Naval Aviation.[5]

Academia and professorship

After his sea training, Bashir continued with his studies and forwarded his post-graduate studies at the National Defence University in Islamabad and studied Joint warfare at the Armed Forces War College (afwc).[5] He earned master of science in War studies and briefly tenured the professorship at the Armed Forces War College (afwc) where he taught courses on strategic studies.[7] Bashir later forwarded his post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom.[1] Bashir attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in United Kingdom where he attained master's degree in geo-strategic studies.[7]

At RCDS, his master's thesis, "Afghanistan and the 'New Great Game" was shortlisted in the Seaford House Papers 2000. In it he defended his claims that the "[A]fghan Taliban are inward rather than outward looking" and "they have also signalled readiness to engage constructively with the international community."[8] Moreover, he says that "keeping Afghanistan broken and destabilized suits those who do not want the Caspian/Central Asian oil and gas pipelines to take one of the shortest and economical outlets over Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Arabian Sea."[9][10]

Bashir served in the Naval aviation and is a career naval aviator, having commanded the two combat navy's aviation squadrons. His combat assignment including the command of the two combat ships; a frigate and a corvette.[11] He also held the command of the naval aviation and later moved his career in the directorate-general of Naval Intelligence (DGNI).[11] Upon his promotion to Commodore, a one-star rank, he served as the base commander of the Jinnah Naval Base (JNB) in Balochistan Province. He also served as the Commodore Training Ashore (CTA) before being promoted to Rear-Admiral rank.[11]

Senior staff and combat appointments

Bashir was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 4 July 2003 when he was serving as the Commander of Naval Aviation.[12] His two star appointment was the directorship of naval intelligence (DGNI).[13] The appointment was short-lived and was sent on deputation where he was the Senior Pakistan Armed Forces Officer (SPAFO) of Pakistan Military-Middle East Contingent in Oman as well as Naval attache in the Pakistan Embassy, Oman.[14]

Upon returning from deputation, he was appointed as General Manager of Karachi Port Trust (GM Port) and later appointed as DCNS of Military Projects in Pakistan Navy.[14] His other staff appointments were at the NHQ and was elevated as the ACNS of Naval operation training.[14] At NHQ, he also served as the ACNS of Naval Operations and DCNS of Projects-II.[14] In 2007, he was promoted as Vice-Admiral and subsequently became the senior fleet commander of Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK) and later forwarded for the commander of Karachi's naval assets as its senior commander, COMKAR.[14]

Chief of Naval Staff

Bashir was promoted to three-star rank, Vice-Admiral, on 19 July 2007 while serving as the commander of the Pakistan fleet. His last three-star appointment was the senior fleet commander of Karachi contingent as commander Karachi (COMKAR), from where he was elevated to the post of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) on 5 October 2008.[6] In the race of four-star admiral promotion, Vice-Admiral Asaf Humayun and Vice-Admiral Noman Bashir's names were forwarded to the President Asif Zardari.[16]

Admiral Humayun was senior to Admiral Bashir, however, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar recommended the name of Bashir to be elevated to the four-star rank.[16] Admiral Asaf Humayun was superseded. After Admiral Bashir became chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Asaf Humayun was appointed as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) on 31 October 2008.[2]

After assuming the command, Admiral Bashir thanked the president for the appointment and recognized the role of Navy facing the multiple challenges in the realm of maritime security due to the presence of various powers in Pakistan's area of interest.[17] Talking to the media, Bashir vowed that Navy to rise to the occasion to safeguard the national interests at any cost.[17]

2008 India-Pakistan standoff

CNS Admiral Bashir meeting with American CNO Admiral Gary Roughead.

Only a month of assuming the command of the navy in October 2008, Bashir faced the major crises with neighboring India after the deadly attacks were perpetuated in Mumbai on November 2008.[18] Bashir high-alerted the navy and deployed the combantant assets of the navy to protect the naval vicinity of Sindh and Balochistan Province. Initially, Bashir denied that the terrorists who attacked the city had not used the sea route from Pakistan to reach the city.[19] In a pressing briefing at the ISPR, Bashir maintained that: "We have no evidence whatsoever that [Ajmal Kasab] had gone to India from Pakistani territorial waters. The Indian Navy is much larger than ours, and if Ajmal Kasab had gone from here, then what were their Coast Guards doing, and why did they did not stop the terrorists."[18] His statement was widely criticized by Indian government and Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony strongly rebutted his statement.[18]

However, after a day of releasing his statement, Bashir retraced his statement and reiterated that "whatever evidence [Indians] have is correct."[20] Bashir strongly criticized Indian army chief General Deepak Kapoor's statement about simultaneous war with China and Pakistan.[21] Talking to the AAJ TV, Admiral Bashir quoted that :"Indian generals are well aware of our strength."[21] He maintained to the television correspondents that he does not take Indian army chief General Deepak Kapoor's statement seriously as he "knows about the strength of his neighboring countries, Pakistan and China."[21]

In 2008, in an interview to a Daily Pakistan, the Admiral Noman Bashir, had told his interviewer that "Pakistan was quite capable of building a nuclear submarine and would do so "if required".[22] Pakistan is a "recognized nuclear power" and if the government made a decision, the nation would develop a naval variant nuclear weapon.[22] During this time, he began pushed and lobbied for building the nuclear submarine and finally, on February 2012, the government gave green signals and authorised the development of the nation's first nuclear submarine after releasing the funds.[23] In 2010, Bashir noted that "the Indian Navy wants to increase military might in the region."[24]

War on Terror

Admiral Bashir salutes to Navy personnel of Pakistan and U.S.

Admiral Noman Bashir was the chief of naval staff at the breach of the insurgency in the country and diversified the role of navy's capabilities to conduct difficult ground operations against the terrorism.[25] He commanded and coordinated the navy-army operations in north-western contingent of the country and expanded the role of navy on wide range of its operational capacity.[26] Major deployments of navy was made under Admiral Bashir in all over the country to curbed the terrorism.[27] Admiral Bashir earned public notability and public appraise after successfully executing the cross-border operation to evacuated the Pakistani nationals from Somalia.[28] This cross border operation was conducted by Navy alone; and Admiral Bashir personally supervised the execution of the operation.[29]

Admiral Bashir was widely criticized by media for not properly protecting the naval base from being attacked by group of terrorists.[30] However, Admiral Bashir rejected the accusations of security breach on media.[31] On 20 June 2011, Bashir submitted the report over the course of action to the Prime minister and briefed the Prime minister about the security arrangements which had been put in place following the attack on the naval base.[32] During the last days of his terms, Bashir supervised and personally gave commissioned of navy's first UAV squadron in Karachi.[30]

Retirement

Upon his retirement in 2011, Admiral Bashir was considered to be on the "short list" of choices for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee;[33] the eventual pick was Army General Khalid Shameem Wynne.[34]

Earlier, the Pakistan government had sent the proposal to appoint General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani as the additional office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, but instead Kayani received the extension.[34] However, the Pakistani media then reported since Admiral Bashir is the most senior officer, Admiral Bashir would likely to become the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.[33]

In the line of promotion, General Khalid Shameem Wynne was the most-general in the Pakistan Army, as his chances to become Chief of Army Staff was diminished.[33] On the advice of General Kayani, General Khalid Shameem Wynne was promoted to four-star rank and assumed the Chairmanship of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.[33]

Military honors

Pakistan military decorations

Ribbon Description Notes
Nishan-e-Imtiaz military; accompanied by a ribbon bar for wear on military service uniform
Hilal-e-Imtiaz Military
Sitara-e-Imtiaz Military
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military)

Non-Pakistan decorations

Ribbon Description Dates Notes
Legion of Merit 18 March 2010 Commander; Chief of Naval Operations
Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Merit 7 September 2011 Award presented by Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan.[35]

Notes

  1. 1 2 "President Zardari appoints Noman Bashir new navy chief" Associated Press of Pakistan, 5 October 2008
  2. 1 2 "Vice Admiral Asaf Humayun appointed as Vice Chief of Naval Staff " Associated Press of Pakistan, 31 October 2008
  3. ↑ "Noman Bashir new Naval Chief" The Nation, 6 October 2008
  4. ↑ GEO Pakistan (2112 PST, Tuesday, 24 May 2011). "War on terror will continue: PM". GEO TV. Retrieved 9 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. 1 2 3 4 Iftikhar A. Khan (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir appointed Naval Chief". Dawn 2008 archives. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Rear admirals Noman Bashir, Saleem Ahmed Meenai promoted as Vice Admiral" Associated Press of Pakistan, 19 July 2007
  7. 1 2 Maqbool Malik (| 6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir new Naval Chief". The Nation 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ↑ Noman, Bashir. "Afghanistan and the "New Great Game"". Noman Bashir, work published at the RCDS College. Noman Bashir's thesis published at RCDS.
  9. ↑ Bashir, Noman (2000). "Afghanistan and the "New Great Game"". UK MoD. Archived from the original on 21 November 2001. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  10. ↑ Noman Bashir. "Afghanistan and the 'New Great Game'" Seaford House Papers, 2000
  11. 1 2 3 Staff (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir new naval chief". Pakistan Tribune. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Promoted to Rear Admiral" Dawn, 5 July 2003
  13. ↑ Kazi Zulkader Siddiqui. "Chairman Board of Governors (2008-2008)". Petaro. Petaro Pakistan. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 POL. "POL Profile". POL Profile. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  15. ↑ GEO News (1057 PST, Monday, 6 October 2008). "Pak territory can’t be used against any county: Admiral Noman". GEO News Pakistan. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. 1 2 GEO News headlines (Updated at: 1233 PST, Sunday, 5 October 2008). "President appoints Noman Bashir as Naval Chief". GEO News headlines. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. 1 2 Sajjad Malik (8 October 2008). "Noman Bashir assumes command of Pakistan Navy". Daily Pakistan, 2080. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  18. 1 2 3 Staff (28 February 2009). "Mumbai attack: Antony, Navy chief strongly rebut Pakistan's about turn". Kashmir webnews. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  19. ↑ Staff (1 March 2009). "Mumbai terrorists did come through sea". Daily Star. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  20. ↑ Agencies (11 March 2013). "A day after, Pak Navy Chief says, India’s proof correct". Indian Express. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  21. 1 2 3 News Desk (7 January 2010). "Indian generals aware of our strength: Admiral Noman". AAJ TV. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  22. 1 2 Singh, Abhijit (30 June 2012). "Pakistan Navy’s ‘Nuclear’ Aspirations – Analysis". Euroasia review. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  23. ↑ Staff (10 February 2012). "Pak Navy to build nuclear submarine". AR News. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  24. ↑ News Desk (26 February 2010). "India wants to increase military might: Adm. Noman Bashir". Dunya News. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  25. ↑ APP (27 April). "Pakistan Navy plays critical role in fight against global terrorism-Admiral Noman Bashir". Associate Press of Pakistan. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ↑ Staff (23 April). "http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/23/paknavy-planning-massive-overhaul-new-acquisitions-tocou.html". One India. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |title= (help)
  27. ↑ Staff (30 October 2009). "Move for maritime body to prevent terror attacks". Dawn News Archives. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  28. ↑ News Desk (19 June 2011). "MV Suez crew to be shifted to PNS Babur". GEO NEWs 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  29. ↑ APP (19 June 2011). "PN successfully completes rescue operation". APP Pakistan. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  30. 1 2 Ejaz Haider (25 May 2011). "Hopes dancing on bald men’s hair". Tribune Express. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Naval chief says no security breach". Daily Pakistan. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  32. ↑ PNS (1809 PST, Monday, 20 June 2011). "Navy Chief presents PNS Mehran report to PM Gilani". GEO News. Retrieved 11 March 2013. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. 1 2 3 4 Maverick Pakistan release. "Navy chief to command Pakistani military". Maverick Pakistan release. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  34. 1 2 Shakil Shaikh. "Gen Wyne new CJCSC" The News, 29 September 2010
  35. ↑ Khalid, Fareeha (11 September 2011). "Turkey confers award on Pak Naval Chief". News. Retrieved 11 March 2013.

Media related to Noman Bashir at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by
Afzal Tahir		 Chief of Naval Staff
2008 – 2011 		Succeeded by
Asif Sandila
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