Shahid Aziz

Military career

Shahid Aziz graduated from Pakistan Military Academy in April 1971 as the Battalion Senior Under Officer and received the coveted Sword of Honour as well as the Presidents Gold Medal for his outstanding performance. He was commissioned in the 10 Battalion of the Baloch Regiment with which he actively participated the 1971 Indo-Pak war and later on also commanded. He attended the Company Commanded Course at Fort Benning, Georgia (USA) and the Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (USA). Shahid Aziz is also a graduate of National Defence University, Pakistan. His military career has placed him in pivotal posts during critical periods in Pakistan. He served as the General Officer Commanding of the 12th Infantry Division stationed at Murree. During the Kargil conflict of 1999, he served as DG of the ISI's Analysis Wing. That same year, he was appointed to the role of Director General Military Operations where he played a crucial role in the coup that brought Pervez Musharraf to power. After the events of 9/11, he was serving as General Officer Commanding 12 Division when the US deployed its forces to Afghanistan. Later that year he was appointment as Chief of General Staff at GHQ. He finally retired from the army in 2005 after having held the post of Lahore Corps Commander for two years during which time he also launched a massive inquiry against corruption in Defence Housing Authority, Lahore.

Post-retirement

Lt. Gen. (retired) Shahid Aziz, who recently created ripples by acknowledging in an article that regular troops were involved in the Kargil operation, said the "misadventure" was a "four-man show" and details were initially hidden from the rest of the military commanders. He published a book "Yeh Khamoshi Kahan Tak? Aik Sipahi ki Dastan-e-Ishq o Junoon”(English: How Long Will You Remain Silent? A Soldier’s Saga of Love and Passion). General Musharraf, who served as the Chief of Army Staff during Kargil War, has refuted Lt. Gen. Aziz's claims in his book and referred to him as "unbalanced" during and interview when questioned about what had been claimed by Gen Shahid in his book. However, the military achievements and posts on which Lt. Gen. (retired) Shahid Aziz has served are sufficient to deny what has been stated against him by the ex-president, who himself has been under numerous legal investigations. Shahid Aziz resigned from the Chairmanship of NAB on moral principles when requested to shut down all cases of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari amid back channel negotiations between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto prior to passing of the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

In an answer to a question about his role in the coup by General Musharraf in violation of the law, Lt. Gen. Aziz said that he believed the constitution is a "rotten product." Upon feeling threatened due to possibility of a NAB inquiry against himself, Malik Riaz, the corrupt real estate developer falsely accused the General for abusing his authority to gain financial benefits for himself and his son-in-law while serving as Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau. No formal inquiries were launched by government authorities against the General due to his already known moral uprightness as well as the reputation of the real estate developer.

Lt. Gen. Aziz is married and father of four children.