Zaheer-ul-Islam


 * Not to be confused with the retired Pakistani army general Zaheerul Islam Abbasi.

Lieutenant-General  Zaheer-ul-Islam HI(M) is the current Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI); he was appointed to the position on 9 March 2012. Islam took over the position from his predecessor Ahmed Shuja Pasha, who left on 18 March. At the time of his appointment, he was serving as the Corps Commander V Corps, Karachi.

In 2013, he was ranked by Forbes as 52nd most powerful person in the world.

Family
Islam comes from a family with a prominent military background. His father retired as a brigadier in the Pakistan Army, while his three brothers and his brother-in-law Major Ejaz Aziz also retired as military officers.

Military career
Zaheerul Islam was commissioned in the Punjab Regiment in the 55th PMA Long Course on 16 April 1977. He served as Corps Commander V Corps in Karachi before appointment of ISI Chief. Zaheer served as DG (C) in the ISI before he was promoted as a 3-star general and moved to Karachi as corps commander. He was GOC Murree for some time before coming to the ISI. He also served as Chief of Staff in the Army Strategic Force Command for 2004-2006.