The chairman of National Disaster Management Organization is introduced as Lt Gen (Retd) Farooq Ahmed Khan while to my knowledge he was Major General once he was appointed chairman of Federal Relief Commissioner in 2005. If he was promoted, why did he retire and if he was not promoted and he retired why does he use Lt Gen (retd) before his name. Does anyone has any knowledge about it?
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
MKF, I recall you had asked me this question in that big Lal Masjid thread too.
I have also been wondering the same thing. Gen Farooq was a Maj Gen in Oct 2005 during the earthquake. And now in July 2007 he’s being referred as Lt Gen Retd Farooq Ahmed. In one and a half year, I also find it rather odd for a Maj Gen to become a Lt Gen and also be retired. Because a Maj Gen serves in the 2 star rank for about 3-4 years and either retires or gets promoted to Lt Gen in the 3 star rank and serves for another 3-4 years I think.
In Maj Gen Farooq’s case, I feel either he may have been a senior Maj Gen when he came to limelight in Oct 2005 as Federal Relief Commissioner and may have been promoted to Lt Gen some time in 2006? But then he would have not retired and would have still been serving some other institution, Formation, Corps etc as Lt Gen for another couple of years? So either he retired as a Maj Gen in 2006 in due course and was installed as the Chairman NDMA and is still infact a Maj Gen erroneously being called a Lt Gen. Or, he may have been promoted to Lt Gen, but owing to his applauded role as Relief Commissioner during the earthquake and the pressing demands for a non military/non-serving chairman of a disaster management authority, he may have been posted to the new organization; NDMA and requested to resign and agree to lead it as a retired officer right after promotion? Or, he may have been retired as Maj Gen and given an honorary title promotion to Lt Gen for some reason?
Technically it has to be one of these. What do you think could be the case?
He seems a good officer.
Meanwhile the NDMA website also calls him Lt Gen…?
http://www.ndma.gov.pk/ContactDirectory.html
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
Well Zuberi, the anchorperson called him lt gen (retd) and he never corrected. Insn't it shows that your assessment of some honarary rank seems to be true.
He was a class as per my knowledge, one of my friend worked for him in 1 Armd Div in Multan in 2000 once he was commanding it. He was known either as Farooq Bagga or Chuck Norris. Extremely tough task master and highly professional. Use to drive his own tank in excercises and alwasy led from the front. He was coronered for promotion later on and speculation was that he is too straightforward to sit in corps commanders meeting which is the highest decision making body. He was very much respected by his subordinated and his efficient handling of Earth Quake crisis and now NDMA shows his management skills. He has virtually built the organization from scratch in days which is a herculean task in the burecracy in Pakistan.
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
I see MKF, thanks for the info, so he's an Armd Corps officer? Chuck Norris is a good nick name for him, but I think Gen Farooq is better looking than the real Chuck! :D
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
Dear All
Some Army officers especially Brigadiers and above are given one step promotion on retirement if they have something meritorious in their service. It means that they retire one step further but actually never wear those ranks. They are entitled to use the next rank after their retirement plus some extra benefits in the form of pension. For instance, a Brigadier may be given the rank of a Major General on retirement. Similarly a Major General may be given the rank of a Lieutenant General on retirement. It may be possible that on account of his accomplishments in earth quake relief works, he might have been given the rank of Lt Gen on retirement.
Regards
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
probably. seems logical. Thanx for the information
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
Dr Sufi,
Thanks for the explanation.
However, just for info, if you're aware, do let us know in what cases mostly are such promotions granted, and how common is it? Thanks.
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
ITs quite common in armed forces retirement, given one step promotion on retirment as good gesture to their service and be called with prestegious one rank higher (rt) plus the benefits increased.
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
I think it is not that common at least at the level of Generals otherwise so many major generals would be boastin lieutenant general ranks after retirement
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
It is really quite infrequent. In my 18 years of Commissioned Service in Army Medical Corps, I know only two Brigadiers who were promoted on retirement. One was Brig (Retd as Maj Gen) Akhtar Qureshi a specialist in Community Medicine. The other was probably Brig (Maj Gen) Ashfaq Ahmad Goreja, ENT Specialist. There may be more but I don't recall them. As far as the actual statics are concerened I am blank. Apart from AMC, in other arms as well this is not a routine. May be one odd or two from all the different branches of Army get this Post Retirement Promotion.
Re: Lt Gen or Major General?
Thanx Dr Sufi for the information. I think he is definitely awarded his ranks due to earth quake.