Asif Nawaz Janjua

Asif Nawaz Janjua was a senior officer of the Pakistan Army who served as the fourth chief of army staff from 16 August 1991 until his death by Arsenic poisoning. His family commissioned a private test on hair from his brush, which was conducted in the United States. The test registered high levels of arsenic. As a result, his body was exhumed, and an autopsy was conducted by French, British, and American doctors. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack, which can also be caused by exposure to low or mild levels of arsenic. Benazir Bhutto also believed he was murdered by political opponents, namely Nawaz Sharif. His tenure is regarded as having stabilised the civilian control of the Pakistani military. He is one of four chiefs of staff who have died in office – the others being Admiral Hasan Hafeez Ahmed in 1975, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1988, and Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir in 2002. He was born in a small village, called Chakri Rajgan, which is located in the Jhelum District in Punjab in Pakistan into a Punjabi Janjua Rajput clan, on 31 January 1937. He was educated at the St Mary's Cambridge School in Murree Road in Rawalpindi. Two Irish teachers there who taught him the value of life and humanity, Father Francis and May Flanagan, had significant influence on his upbringing and future career. After his matriculation, he went to join the Pakistan Military Academy in 1954, and was one of very few cadets to be selected to attend the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. After completing his initial military training, he passed out from the academy in 1957 and was conferred the Sword of Honour by the academy's commandant. He participated in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where he was wounded in action. He also took part in the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Battle of Chamb, the political violence in Karachi, the Operation Blue Fox, and the Somali Civil War. He held various command and staff positions in the army, such as the Chief of General Staff, the Commander of V Corps in Karachi, the Commandant of Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, the General Officer Commanding of 7th Infantry Division in Peshawar, and the Chief of Staff of II Corps in Mangla. He was awarded the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military), the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), and the Sitara-e-Basalat with BAR for his distinguished service and bravery. He was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan on 16 August 1991, succeeding General Mirza Aslam Beg. He was known as the Soldier's Soldier for his professionalism and dedication. He supported the democratic government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and resisted the pressure from the Inter-Services Intelligence to interfere in the political affairs. He also initiated several reforms and modernisation programs in the army, such as the establishment of the Army Strategic Force Command, the induction of new weapons and equipment, and the improvement of the training and welfare of the soldiers. He died on 8 January 1993, after suffering a cardiac arrest while jogging near his residence in Rawalpindi. He was buried with full military honors in the Army Graveyard in Rawalpindi. He was succeeded by General Abdul Waheed Kakar. He is survived by his wife, three children, and several grandchildren.