Shahid Iqbal

Shahid Iqbal (Urdu: ; born 15 July 1953), , is a retired three-star rank admiral in the Pakistan Navy, and former university administrator who served as the Rector of the Bahria University from 2012 until 2015.

In 2005, he was notable for being the first admiral in the Pakistan Navy when he took over the command of the Combined Task Force 150, helping to conduct military operations against the Somali pirates operating in the coast of Somalia. He took over this post from retiring Vice Admiral Asaf Humayun on 30 December 2009. From 2009 to 2010, Vice-Admiral Iqbal served as the Chief of Staff (now known as Vice Chief of Naval Staff) at NHQ.

Biography

Shahid Iqbal was born on 5 July 1953, and was educated at the Cadet College Petaro in 1966, graduating in 1971. He joined the Pakistan Navy in 1972 and attended the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi where he graduated in 1974 with a degree in operations research, gaining commission in the Navy as Sub-Lieutenant in the Naval Operations Branch.

In addition, he attended and graduated from the Turkish Staff College and Naval War College in Lahore, gaining his staff course degree.

On 22 August 2006, RAdm Iqbal was relieved by German Rear Admiral Heinrich Lange, and returned to Pakistan. RAdm Iqbal was noted for being the first Asian admiral of a "regional nation" who was given command of any of the three coalition task forces that comprise the Combined Maritime Force. Rear-Admiral Iqbal guided the fleet to be part of the Combined Task Force 150 and Combined Task Force 151 to launched operations against the piracy in the coast of Somalia.

In 2009, he was promoted to three-star rank, and was again posted in the Navy NHQ as DCNS (Training). Vice-Admiral Iqbal was then appointed as Chief of Staff (now known as Vice Chief of Naval Staff) at NHQ, and took over the post from Vice-Admiral Asaf Humayun who was appointed as VCNS. In 2010, VAdm Iqbal took retirement from the Navy and was subsequently preceded by Vice-Admiral Asif Sandila as VCNS.