A senior Pakistani lieutenant general, Mongla-based 1 Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Ayman Bilal Safdar, was forced to retire three years ahead of schedule by submitting papers. Although he was supposed to retire in 2026.
The news was published on many YouTube channels in Pakistan on Tuesday. Most of those channels are operated from other countries. However, most of Pakistan’s newspapers, television and online portals did not publish the news.
Lt Gen Safdar could have been a contender for the top post of the Pakistan Army in 2025 if the current Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, had retired at the end of his term. The current whereabouts of Lt Gen Safdar is not clear. However, according to some reports, he has gone to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan’s ISPR did not clarify whether Lt Gen Safdar was forced into retirement.
It is said in some quarters that Lt Gen Safdar was an outspoken person. who criticized the Pakistan Army’s role in the widespread rigging of the February 8 general elections this year. Moreover, he expressed reluctance to arrest some top PTI leaders.
According to some reports, Lt Gen Safdar was asked to report to the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi on 4 April. However, he relinquished his command on 2 April and was not seen in public. While it is customary to bid farewell to a retired officer, there were no reports of this courtesy being extended to Lt Gen Safdar.
Incidentally, Lt Gen Safdar is the second corps commander to be sacked last year.
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