Chief of the Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Air Staff (Urdu: سربراہ پاک فضائيہ) (reporting name: CAS) is a military appointment and a statutory office held by an Air Chief Marshal in the Pakistan Air Force, who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and final confirmation by the President of Pakistan. The CAS is the highest-ranking officer of the Pakistan Air Force and only pilots are appointed in this post.
| Chief of the Air Staff | |
|---|---|
| رئیسِ عملۂ پاک فضائیہ | |
Air Force Ensign of Pakistan | |
| Ministry of Defence (Air Force Secretariat-II at MoD) Pakistan Air Force | |
| Abbreviation | CAS |
| Member of | Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee National Security Council |
| Reports to | Prime Minister of Pakistan Minister of Defence |
| Residence | Air Headquarters, Islamabad |
| Seat | Air Headquarters |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Pakistan |
| Appointer | President of Pakistan |
| Term length | 3 years renewable only once |
| Precursor | Commander-in-Chief |
| Formation | March 3, 1972 |
| First holder | Air Marshal Zafar Chaudhry |
| Succession | On basis of seniority, subjected to the decision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. |
| Unofficial names | Air chief |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of the Air Staff |
| Salary | According to Pakistan Military officer's Pay Grade (apex Scale) |
| Website | Official website |
The Chief of the Air Staff is a senior most military appointment in the Pakistani military who is a senior member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee in a separate capacity, usually providing necessary consultation to the Chairman joint chiefs to act as a principal military adviser to the Prime Minister and its civilian government in the line of defending and guarding the nation's airspace and aerial borders.: 40
The Chief of the Air Staff exercise its responsibility of command and control of the operational, administration, combatant, logistics, and training commands within the Air Force.: 140 Due to its statute, the Chief of the Air Staff maintain its importance of providing the strategic control and final decision-making issues relating the nation's national security.
The appointment, in principle, is constitutionally subjected for three years but extensions may be granted by the President upon recommendations and approvals from the Prime Minister. The Chief of the Air Staff is based at the Air Headquarters, and the current Chief of the Air Staff is the Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber.