Rawalpindi: Selection board for promotion of Brigadiers to the rank of Major General for the year 2002 was held at the general headquarters here Friday.
The President and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf presided and okayed the recommendations of the board.
Out of approximately 1100 officers granted commission in the army in year 1972 only 132 (12.6 %) made it to the rank of Brigadier after qualifying the stringent promotion criterion comprising of various courses, promotion examinations and earlier Selection Boards.
This year the Selection board considered these 132 Brigadiers and recommended 27 officers (2.4%) fit for promotion to the rank of Major General.
These include Brigadier Mrs. Shahida Malik of the army Medical Corps who has achieved the distinction of becoming the first ever lady medical officer to rise to the rank of Major General in the history of Pakistan army.
There are many examples from islamic history where muslim women wished to fight in combat, but were forbidden, not because they were deemed inferior, but because they were deemed more productive in other departments, such as medicine.
PAF employs women in non-combat roles, and the military hospitals carry female doctors and nurses in high numbers. They all serve on battlefields, in time of need.
, so far I have found that my family lineage includes people from as North as the Kashmir Valley (yes I am proud to say I have Kashmiri blood running through my veins). As far west as Kalabagh at least (even further if you believe family folklore), and as far east as Nagpur in India’s Maharashtra. But going South I get as far as Karachi and Thatta, but not Hyderabad-Deccan where mAd’s family hails from originally. But considering the fact they like awfully spicy foods, and I am quite a mild person the chances are not that good.
Thats good to hear, One thing you will notice is that many Punjabis have some kashmiri links within their ancestory. Pre-Pakistan era, there was no border as such so families spread out in many areas.
BTW Its a shame your not related to mad scientist !
Pakistani Generals are First Class, nobody should doubt that and we will see more women reaching the top tiers of the Army. This can only be a good thing.
The question pertaining to Islam permitting women to join the army is a bit vague here....
This particular general happens to be in the AMC (Army Medical College or Corps). Most female officers are from this particular corps of the armed forces, and their job is not to fight, but to ensure a good medication system in the army. Women in the time of the holy wars (or ghazwaat) also did something similar, when they took water and medication to the wounded Muslim soldiers. Hence, Islam does not permit women from joining the armed forces.
This is a great achievement... particularly for the AMC.