Vice Chief of the Army Staff (Pakistan)

Vice chief of the Army Staff
Last VCOAS
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani

8 October 2007 – 28 November 2007
TypeSecond in command of Pakistan army
StatusAbolished
AbbreviationVCOAS
Reports toChief of the Army Staff
Term length3 years,
Renewable once
Formation25 March 1969 (1969-03-25)
First holderGeneral Abdul Hamid Khan
Final holderGeneral Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
Abolished28 November 2007 (2007-11-28)
DeputyDeputy Chief of the Army Staff (Abolished)

The Vice chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) is the post that is principal deputy and second-in-command (S-in-C) of the Pakistan Army, reporting under the Chief of the Army Staff. The position was created in the existence of army chief is simultaneously the President of Pakistan, having taking over by imposing the martial law against the elected civilian government.[1] The post is now obsolete and no longer in existence with the army – the Chief of the General Staff now serves as the second-in-command in the army leadership.[2]

The function and scope of the vice army chief was to "exercise and perform all the powers and functions vested in the chief of army staff under the law. rules, regulations, orders, and instructions for the time being in the force."[1]

The vice army chiefs are considered to be the principle commander of the army but not altogether, as the vice army chief has to report to the army chief, specifically in taking decisions regarding the promotions.[1] The post of the vice army chief is a very senior position and the appointment holder is a four-star general.

  1. ^ a b c Cloughley, Brian (2016). A History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781631440397. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  2. ^ "General's first gambit". The Indian Express. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2017.

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