Islamabad, August 11, 2026: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday conferred the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) on General Aamer Raza, Commander of the National Strategic Command, during an investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-i-Sadr.
President Zardari had approved the conferment of the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) on General Raza on July 31.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, services chiefs and senior military and government officials, according to state media.
General Raza was promoted to the rank of four-star general in July and appointed Commander of the National Strategic Command (CNSC) by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The CNSC position was created under the 27th Constitutional Amendment enacted last year as part of significant changes to the country’s military command structure. The position assumed the nuclear management role previously associated with the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), a post abolished under the constitutional changes.
General Raza has previously been awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-i-Basalat (Star of Valour).
Before his promotion, he was serving as Chief of General Staff, the army’s principal operational appointment. In that role, he oversaw the implementation of organisational changes following the 27th Amendment and restructuring carried out after last year’s conflict with India, including the establishment of the Army Rocket Force Command.
A cavalry officer from the Officers Training School (OTS), General Raza was commissioned into the 6th Lancers in 1988.
During his military career, he has commanded an armoured regiment, an armoured brigade, an infantry brigade in South Waziristan, an infantry division and Lahore-based IV Corps.
He has also served as head of Heavy Industries Taxila, Director General of Weapons and Equipment and Chief of Staff at II Corps.
General Raza, however, has not previously served in the Strategic Plans Division, the Army Strategic Forces Command or the country’s strategic missile programme. His career has largely been rooted in conventional military operations, armoured formations and force development.
