Raheel Sharif

General Raheel Sharif was appointed as the 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, succeeding General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. His appointment came at a time of heightened terrorism and political instability, and he was seen as a reformist leader within the military.

General Raheel Sharif launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb, a large-scale military offensive against militant groups in North Waziristan. The operation targeted Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and other insurgents, resulting in the clearance of the region and a significant reduction in terrorist attacks across Pakistan.

Following the Peshawar school massacre, General Raheel Sharif oversaw the lifting of a moratorium on the death penalty for terrorism-related cases. Hundreds of convicted militants were executed, and military courts were established to expedite trials. This policy was controversial but widely supported domestically.

General Raheel Sharif was appointed as the first commander-in-chief of the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT), a Saudi-led coalition of Muslim countries. He retired from the Pakistan Army to take this role, marking a significant international engagement for a former Pakistani army chief.