Rao Qamar Suleman
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Rao Qamar Suleman, NI(M), SBt (Urdu
: راؤ قمر سلیمان; born 1954) is the current Pakistan Air Force
Chief of Air Staff
who replaced Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
on 18 March 2009.
He was appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari
after consultation with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. In the process of ascension, the air chief superseded three senior air marshals: Shahid Lateef, the vice chief of air staff; Khalid Choudhry, chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
; and Hifazat Ullah Khan
, deputy chief of air staff (personnel). Later however, Air Marshal Hifazat was made the vice chief of air staff (VCAS) on 29 March 2009.
, got his initial training from PAF Public School, Sargodha where he belonged to the 17th entry (851 – Sabre House). Thereafter, he joined Pakistan Air Force Academy
, Risalpur in 1972 and was commissioned in Pakistan Air Force as a fighter pilot on 1 June 1975 in the 59th GD(P) Course.
The Air Chief Marshal is a graduate of Flying Instructors’ School, Combat Commanders’ School, PAF Air War College
and National Defence College
, Islamabad from where he did his masters in Strategic Studies.
on deputation.
In staff jobs, the Air Chief Marshal has served as directing staff at PAF Air War College
where he later served as commandant; deputy director at Operations Branch, assistant chief of staff (plans), assistant chief or air staff (evaluation) and deputy inspector general of Pakistan Air Force at air headquarters. His senior staff appointments includes director-general Air Force Strategic Command and deputy chief of air staff (operations) at the air headquarters, Islamabad.
Suleman was promoted to air vice marshal on 9 October 2003 and to air marshal on 15 November 2007. He has been awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-e-Basalat, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military). The last one of which was awarded to all the services chiefs.
under ACM Rao Qamar Suleman performed better in the War against militants
than his predecessor ACM Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
. Suleman, along with army chief General
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
, led successful aerial operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA
against Pakistani Taliban
groups. Under ACM Suleman's umbrella, the PAF successfully targeted its objectives, mainly sabotaging the Taliban infrastructure, and killed the most wanted Taliban figures in the aerial operations. The Air Force squadrons are currently engaged in the military operations along with Pakistan Army.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Rao Qamar Suleman, NI(M), SBt (Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: راؤ قمر سلیمان; born 1954) is the current Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
Chief of Air Staff
Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, abbreviated as CAS, is typically the highest ranking 4-star rank officer in the Pakistan Air Force, unless a four-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CAS is a senior and permanent member of the...
who replaced Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed is a retired four-star general and a career Air Officer in the Pakistan Air Force who commanded, as the chief of air staff of the Pakistan Air Force, from 2006 to 2009...
on 18 March 2009.
He was appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
after consultation with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. In the process of ascension, the air chief superseded three senior air marshals: Shahid Lateef, the vice chief of air staff; Khalid Choudhry, chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is a facility used to service, assemble and manufacture aircraft for the Pakistani Armed Forces...
; and Hifazat Ullah Khan
Hifazat Ullah Khan
Air Marshal Hifazat Ullah Khan, HI, , is a former three-star general air officer who served as Vice Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force from 29 March 2009 till 4 October 2010...
, deputy chief of air staff (personnel). Later however, Air Marshal Hifazat was made the vice chief of air staff (VCAS) on 29 March 2009.
Air Force career
Air Chief Marshal Suleman, who belongs to LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, got his initial training from PAF Public School, Sargodha where he belonged to the 17th entry (851 – Sabre House). Thereafter, he joined Pakistan Air Force Academy
Pakistan Air Force Academy
"RAF Risalpur", "Risalpur Airbase/Airfield" & "Pakistan Air Force/PAF Base Risalpur" redirects here.The Pakistan Air Force Academy also known as PAFA, is an accredited co-educational four-year college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the Pakistan Air Force...
, Risalpur in 1972 and was commissioned in Pakistan Air Force as a fighter pilot on 1 June 1975 in the 59th GD(P) Course.
The Air Chief Marshal is a graduate of Flying Instructors’ School, Combat Commanders’ School, PAF Air War College
PAF Air War College
PAF Air War College is the Pakistan Air Force academic establishment providing training and education primarily to the mid-career officers of PAF as well as to limited number of officers from Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Army and officers of various Allied forces...
and National Defence College
National Defence University, Islamabad
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the Ministry of Defence of Government of Pakistan, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy...
, Islamabad from where he did his masters in Strategic Studies.
Command and staff appointments
Suleman has commanded No. 15 Squadron, No. 31 Wing, PAF Base Peshawar and Southern Air Command. He also served in United Arab Emirates Air ForceUnited Arab Emirates Air Force
The United Arab Emirates Air Force is the air force of the United Arab Emirates . Its predecessor was established in 1968, when the Emirates were still under British rule. Since then, it has undergone a continual reorganization and expansion in terms of both capability and numbers of aircraft...
on deputation.
In staff jobs, the Air Chief Marshal has served as directing staff at PAF Air War College
PAF Air War College
PAF Air War College is the Pakistan Air Force academic establishment providing training and education primarily to the mid-career officers of PAF as well as to limited number of officers from Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Army and officers of various Allied forces...
where he later served as commandant; deputy director at Operations Branch, assistant chief of staff (plans), assistant chief or air staff (evaluation) and deputy inspector general of Pakistan Air Force at air headquarters. His senior staff appointments includes director-general Air Force Strategic Command and deputy chief of air staff (operations) at the air headquarters, Islamabad.
Suleman was promoted to air vice marshal on 9 October 2003 and to air marshal on 15 November 2007. He has been awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-e-Basalat, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) and Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military). The last one of which was awarded to all the services chiefs.
Chief of Air Staff
Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
under ACM Rao Qamar Suleman performed better in the War against militants
War in North-West Pakistan
The War in North-West Pakistan is an armed conflict between the Pakistan Armed Forces and armed religious groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , Lashkar-e-Islam, TSNM, Arab and Central Asian militants including Al-Qaeda, regional armed movements and elements of organized crime.The armed...
than his predecessor ACM Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed
Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed is a retired four-star general and a career Air Officer in the Pakistan Air Force who commanded, as the chief of air staff of the Pakistan Air Force, from 2006 to 2009...
. Suleman, along with army chief General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI, HI is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007...
, led successful aerial operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA
Fata
The FATA or FC-ATA is a type of computer hard disk drive. FATA is simply the low cost ATA or SATA disk drive equipped with a small external converter, that changes the interface to Fibre Channel...
against Pakistani Taliban
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , alternatively referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Most, but not all, Pakistani Taliban groups coalesce under the TTP...
groups. Under ACM Suleman's umbrella, the PAF successfully targeted its objectives, mainly sabotaging the Taliban infrastructure, and killed the most wanted Taliban figures in the aerial operations. The Air Force squadrons are currently engaged in the military operations along with Pakistan Army.