ISLAMABAD: Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa, after two years of successful combat mission in tribal areas, assumed the charge as Director General Inter Service Public Relations (DG-ISPR) today, a month ahead of the scheduled retirement of his predecessor. He will spend his first week as DG-ISPR for over-lapping to have better understanding of his new assignment.

General Bajwa, who inflicted unprecedented losses and defeat on terrorists and militants in his areas of posting, is now the spokesman of the Armed Forces in his new capacity. He was general officer commanding (GOC) of the 19th Infantry Div in Mangla before proceeding to Wana. His appointment as DG-ISPR was made last month.

Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa has served in various capacities and established his skill in every field relating to the Armed Forces. He was commanding the famous triple-one Brigade of Chaklala Corps in 2007-8 during very crucial days and performed his duties in excellent manner. He was given promotion to the rank of two-stars General from triple-one brigade which caters emergencies in case of Rawalpindi-Islamabad.

He displayed his talent with pen when former President General (r) Pervez Musharraf mentioned his role in his biography ‘In the Line of Fire,’ for Bajwa’s contribution in compilation and authoring it. General Bajwa was his deputy military secretary (DMS). Asim Saleem Bajwa would bring pleasing improvement in public relations of the Armed Forces as he easily differentiates between the good and less good. He, throughout, has been popular with his troops and respected by his colleagues and seniors for his excellent manner. Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa was posted in Dera Ismail Khan as GOC for the past two years. Under Bajwa’s leadership, the army conducted military operations in the South Waziristan tribal region to eliminate militancy and restore peace.

Commissioned on March 16, 1984, in Punjab Regiment, he has commanded 34 Punjab Regiment, and, beside commanding 111 Brigade, he has been chief of Staff of a Corps, Instructor at Command and Staff Course, Brigade Major of Infantry Brigade, Platoon Commander at Pakistan Military Academy. He is a graduate of command and Staff College, Quetta, NDU, Islamabad, and Staff College, Kimberly (UK).