Noman Bashir

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

Noman Bashir
Adm. Noman Bashir in 2010
Chief of Naval Staff
In office
7 October 2008 – 7 October 2011
Preceded byAdm. Afzal Tahir
Succeeded byAdm. Asif Sandila
Personal details
Born
Noman Bashir

Pakistan
Citizenship Pakistan
RelativesSalman Bashir
(Younger brother)
Military service
Allegiance Pakistan
Branch/service Pakistan Navy
Years of service1971–2011
RankAdmiral
(PN No. 1471)
UnitNaval Aviation
CommandsCommander Pakistan Fleet
Commander Karachi Coast
DCNS (Projects-II) at Navy NHQ
Commander Naval Aviation
GM (Operations) at KPT
DG Naval Intelligence
Pakistan Command–Middle East
ACNS (Training) at Navy NHQ
Jinnah Naval Base
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani wars and conflicts

War on Terror

War in North-West Pakistan

AwardsLegion of Merit
Nishan-i-Imtiaz (military)
Hilal-i-Imtiaz (military)
Sitara-i-Imtiaz (military)
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (military)
Medal of Merit (Turkey)

A distinguished officer in the Pakistan Armed Forces, his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari on the recommendation of Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar on 5 October 2008, ultimately superseding the senior most, Vice-Admiral Asaf Humayun, to the four-star promotion.[1]

In 2011, Adm. Bashir was notably superseded and overlooked for the appointment of Chairman joint chiefs when the junior-most officer, Lt-Gen. K. Shameem Wynne, was eventually selected despite coming short of his qualifications.[2][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 attending and securing his matriculation from the Army Burn Hall College in Abottabad, Bashir was accepted to attend the Pakistan Naval Academy in 1971.[5]

He passed out in 1973, and gained commissioned as S-Lt. in the Naval Operations Branch.[5] He was further trained at the Air Force Academy as a naval aviator, and joined the Naval Aviation as a combat helicopter pilot in 1975, and later qualified to fly the P3C Orion and various other aircraft in 1990s.:64[6][7]

His brother, Salman Bashir, is a diplomat and former Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[8]

After his combat pilot's training, Bashir was directed to attend the National Defence University in Islamabad where he studied at the Armed Forces War College (afwc).[5] He graduated with MSc in War studies and briefly tenured the professorship at the Armed Forces War College (afwc) where he taught courses on topics involving the Strategic studies.[9] He was later sent to the United Kingdom to attend the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) where he focused towards the geo-strategic studies, eventually graduating with master's degree.[9]

At RCDS, his master's thesis, "Afghanistan and the 'New Great Game" was shortlisted in the Seaford House Papers 2000.[10] 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."[10]

Moreover, he argued 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."[11][12]

Career in the military

War and staff appointments in the Pakistan Navy

In 1971, Bashir served in the western front of the third war with India as a naval aviator, flying the army aviation's H-13 boarded on a warship, before joining the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi.[1] A career naval aviator, Bashir commanded the two navy's combat aviation squadron before commanding the two warships: a Tariq-class frigate and a corvette.[13] In 1995, Captain Bashir commanded the PNS Tariq, paying a visit to Singapore where he was joined by the RSS Valiant for bilateral exercise.:63[14]

In 1999, Capt. Bashir was appointed to direct the inquiry board to investigate the probable cause of the Atlantique shootdown by the Indian Air Force, and later investigating the accident involving the P-3C Orion in 1999.:261[15]

In 2000s, Cdre. Bashir briefly served as the Cdre-in-Charge of the Jinnah Naval Base in Balochistan, and later serving as the Commodore Training Ashore under the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) in Karachi.[16] In 2003, Cdre. Bashir took over the command of the Naval Air Arm as Commander Naval Aviation (COMNAV), eventually promoted to the star-rank rank admiral in the Navy.[17][13][18]

In 2004, R-Adm. Bashir was appointed as the Director-General of the Naval Intelligence (DGNI) which he directed the military intelligence until he was appointed as Commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces–Middle East in Oman in 2005.[19][13][16]

Upon returning from deputation in 2006, R-Adm. Bashir was taken as secondment and directed as general manager at the Karachi Port Trust, and later posted as the DCNS (Projects-II) at the Navy NHQ in Islamabad until 2007.[20]

On 19 July 2007, R-Adm. Bashir was elevated to the three-star rank in the Navy while serving in the Navy NHQ as DCNS (Projects-II).[21] On 22 July 2007, Vice-Admiral Bashir became a senior fleet commander when he took over the command as the Commander Pakistan Fleet, and left the command on when he handed over the command to then-R-Adm. Shahid Iqbal on 20 June 2008.[22]

On 20 June 2008, V-Adm. Bashir was appointed to command the Karachi coast as its Commander Karachi (COMKAR), which is responsible for entire naval combat units in Sindh and Balochistan.[23][20]

Chief of Naval Staff
I am duty-bound to continue to ensure the rightful maritime status for my country that it deserves so that it must be dealt and treated in proper manners.

Cited source[24]

Upon the retirement of Adm. Afzal Tahir being confirmed, Vice-Adm. Noman Bashir was in the race of the promotion to four-star rank alongside with four senior navy admirals included with seniority:[25]

On 5 October 2008, President Asif Zardari eventually promoted V-Adm. Bashir as the four-star admiral in the Navy and appointed Adm. Noman as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), superseding the senior most V-Adm. Asaf Humayun who was moved to be appointed as Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS).[26][7][27][28]

It was reported that then-Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar had recommended Adm. Noman's name over V-Adm. Humayun to be elevated at the four-star rank.[27] Eventually, V-Adm. Humayun was appointed as vice naval chief on 31 October 2008.[28]

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.[29]

Talking to the media, Bashir vowed that Navy to rise to the occasion to safeguard the national interests at any cost.[29]

Indo-Pakistani standoff in 2008
Main article: 2008 Indo-Pakistani standoff
CNS Admiral Bashir meeting with American CNO Admiral Gary Roughead.

Only a month of assuming his role as Chief of Naval Staff, Adm. Bashir faced the major crises with neighboring India after the deadly attacks were perpetuated in Mumbai on November 2008.[30] Adm. Bashir high-alerted the Navy and deployed the combatant commands of the Navy to protect the naval vicinity of Sindh and Balochistan. Initially, Adm. Bashir denied that the terrorists who attacked the city had not used the sea routes from Pakistan to reach the city.[31] In a pressing briefing at the ISPR, Adm. Bashir maintained that: "We have no evidence whatsoever that [Ajmal Kasab] had gone to India from Pakistani 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?."[30]

His statement was widely criticized by Indian government and Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony strongly rebutted his statement.[30]

However, after a day of releasing his statement, Adm. Bashir retraced his statement and reiterated that "whatever evidence [Indians] have is correct."[32] Adm. Bashir strongly criticized Indian army chief General Deepak Kapoor's statement about simultaneous war with China and Pakistan.[33] Talking to the AAJ TV, Admiral Bashir quoted that :"Indian generals are well aware of our strength."[33] 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."[33]

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".[34] Pakistan is a "recognized nuclear power" and if the government made a decision, the nation would develop a naval variant nuclear weapon.[34]

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.[35] In 2010, Bashir noted that "the Indian Navy wants to increase military might in the region."[36]

War on Terror
Main articles: Operation Black Thunderstorm, Operation Rah-e-Nijat, and PNS Mehran Operation
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.[37] 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.[38] Major deployments of navy was made under Admiral Bashir in all over the country to curbed the terrorism.[39] Admiral Bashir earned public notability and public appraise after successfully executing the cross-border operation to evacuated the Pakistani nationals from Somalia.[40] This cross border operation was conducted by Navy alone; and Admiral Bashir personally supervised the execution of the operation.[41]

Admiral Bashir was widely criticized by media for not properly protecting the naval base from being attacked by group of terrorists.[42] However, Admiral Bashir rejected the accusations of security breach on media.[43] 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.[44] During the last days of his terms, Bashir supervised and personally gave commissioned of navy's first UAV squadron in Karachi.[45]

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 included with seniority:[2]

The eventual pick was the most-junior Army's general, Lt-Gen. Khalid Shameem Wynne, for the Chairman joint chiefs appointment.[3]

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.[3] 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.[2]

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.[2] 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.[2]

Military honors

Pakistan military decorations
RibbonDescriptionNotes
Nishan-e-Imtiazmilitary; accompanied by a ribbon bar for wear on military service uniform
Hilal-e-ImtiazMilitary
Sitara-e-ImtiazMilitary
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz(Military)

Non-Pakistan decorations
RibbonDescriptionDatesNotes
Legion of Merit 18 March 2010Commander; Chief of Naval Operations
Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Merit 7 September 2011 Award presented by Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan.[46]

See also

Notes
  1. "President Zardari appoints Noman Bashir new navy chief" Archived 12 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Associated Press of Pakistan, 5 October 2008
  2. Maverick Pakistan release. "Navy chief to command Pakistani military". Maverick Pakistan release. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  3. Shakil Shaikh. "Gen Wyne new CJCSC" The News, 29 September 2010
  4. GEO Pakistan (24 May 2011). "War on terror will continue: PM". GEO TV. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  5. Iftikhar A. Khan (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir appointed Naval Chief". Dawn 2008 archives. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  6. Anwar, Muhammad; Baig, Ebad (2012). Pakistan: Time for Change. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781477250310.
  7. "Rear admirals Noman Bashir, Saleem Ahmed Meenai promoted as Vice Admiral" Associated Press of Pakistan, 19 July 2007
  8. "Noman Bashir new Naval Chief" Archived 7 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine The Nation, 6 October 2008
  9. Maqbool Malik (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir new Naval Chief". The Nation 2008. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  10. Noman, Bashir. "Afghanistan and the "New Great Game"". Noman Bashir, work published at the RCDS College. Noman Bashir's thesis published at RCDS. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  11. Bashir, Noman (2000). "Afghanistan and the "New Great Game"". UK MoD. Archived from the original on 21 November 2001. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  12. Noman Bashir. "Afghanistan and the 'New Great Game'" Seaford House Papers, 2000
  13. Staff (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir new naval chief". Pakistan Tribune. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  14. Daily Report: East Asia. The Service. 1995. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  15. Anwar, Muhammad (2006). Stolen Stripes and Broken Medals: Autobiography of a Senior Naval Officer. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781425900205. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  16. Kazi Zulkader Siddiqui. "Chairman Board of Governors (2008-2008)". Petaro. Petaro Pakistan. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  17. "Promoted". Dawn.com. Dawn Newspaper. 5 July 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  18. "Promoted to Rear Admiral" Dawn, 5 July 2003
  19. Khan, Iftikhar A. (6 October 2008). "Noman Bashir appointed Naval Chief". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  20. POL. "POL Profile". POL Profile. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  21. "KARACHI: Rear admirals promoted". DAWN.COM. 20 July 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  22. "KARACHI: PN fleet's new commander". DAWN.COM. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  23. "Vice-Admiral Bashir takes charge as COMKAR". News International. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  24. GEO News (6 October 2008). "Pak territory can't be used against any county: Admiral Noman". GEO News Pakistan. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  25. "Noman Bashir new Chief of Naval Staff". DAWN.COM. Dawn Newspaper. Dawn Newspaper. 6 October 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  26. "Vice-chief of naval staff". DAWN.COM. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  27. GEO News headlines (5 October 2008). "President appoints Noman Bashir as Naval Chief". GEO News headlines. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  28. "Vice Admiral Asaf Humayun appointed as Vice Chief of Naval Staff " Associated Press of Pakistan, 31 October 2008
  29. Sajjad Malik (8 October 2008). "Noman Bashir assumes command of Pakistan Navy". Daily Pakistan, 2080. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  30. Staff (28 February 2009). "Mumbai attack: Antony, Navy chief strongly rebut Pakistan's about turn". Kashmir webnews. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  31. Staff (1 March 2009). "Mumbai terrorists did come through sea". Daily Star. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  32. Agencies (11 March 2013). "A day after, Pak Navy Chief says, India's proof correct". Indian Express. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  33. News Desk (7 January 2010). "Indian generals aware of our strength: Admiral Noman". AAJ TV. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  34. Singh, Abhijit (30 June 2012). "Pakistan Navy's 'Nuclear' Aspirations – Analysis". Euroasia review. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  35. Staff (10 February 2012). "Pak Navy to build nuclear submarine". AR News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  36. News Desk (26 February 2010). "India wants to increase military might: Adm. Noman Bashir". Dunya News. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  37. APP (27 April 2011). "Pakistan Navy plays critical role in fight against global terrorism-Admiral Noman Bashir". Associate Press of Pakistan. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  38. Staff (23 April 2012). "Pakistan Navy Planning Massive Overhaul Acquisitions". One India. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  39. Staff (30 October 2009). "Move for maritime body to prevent terror attacks". Dawn News Archives. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  40. News Desk (19 June 2011). "MV Suez crew to be shifted to PNS Babur". GEO NEWs 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  41. APP (19 June 2011). "PN successfully completes rescue operation". APP Pakistan. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  42. Ejaz Haider (25 May 2011). "Hopes dancing on bald men's hair". Tribune Express. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  43. "Naval chief says no security breach". Daily Pakistan. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  44. PNS (20 June 2011). "Navy Chief presents PNS Mehran report to PM Gilani". GEO News. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  45. Salman Siddiqui (20 July 2011). "Navy inducts first fleet of reconnaissance drones". Tribune Express. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  46. 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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