Ashfaq Parvez Kayani

Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, (Urdu: اشفاق پرویز کیانی‎, born 20 April 1952; NI(M), HI, is a retired four-star rank army general in the Pakistan Army who served as the Chief of Army Staff from 29 November 2007 to 29 November 2013. He succeeded General Pervez Musharraf as the chief of army staff on 29 November 2007. He also held the acting charge of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from October to November 2013. In addition, General Kayani formerly served as the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and director of the Directorate-General of Military Operations (DGMO). On 24 July 2010, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani extended Kayani's term as Chief of the Army Staff by three years, making him the first four-star officer to receive a term extension from any democratic government.

Forbes named him the world's 34th most powerful person in 2011 and the world's 28th most powerful person in 2012.

Early life

Education

Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was born at Manghot, a village located in Gujar Khan District Punjab Province, on 20 April 1952. The town of Manghot is situated on the Pothohar Plateau bounded on the east by the Jhelum River, on the west by the Indus River. Ashfaq's father was a Non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Pakistan Army.