Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended the tenure of Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu by one year.
The prime minister forwarded a summary of the air chief's extension to President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday evening, which he signed.
Following the president's assent, PM Shehbaz extended ACM Sidhu's tenure for a year, and he will lead the flypast on the Pakistan Day Parade on March 23.
ACM Zaheer, who gained command of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on March 19, 2021, is the 16th chief, and he was set to retire on March 18 (today).
Born on April 16, 1965, Air Marshal Sidhu was commissioned in the PAF's GD (P) Branch in April 1986. Throughout his career, he has led a fighter squadron, a flying wing, an operational air base, and a regional air command.
He has previously held the positions of assistant chief of the air staff (OR&D), assistant head of the air staff (training officers), and additional secretary at the Ministry of Defense.
At Air Headquarters in Islamabad, the air chief also served as director general of projects, director general of the Air Force Strategic Command, and deputy chief of Air Staff (Air Defense).
He graduated from Combat Commanders' School, Air War College, and the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in the United Kingdom.
In honor of his excellent achievements, Air Marshal Sidhu has been awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (military), and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (military).
After being awarded a one-year extension by PM Shehbaz, the air chief is set to become the ninth highest-ranking commander in the PAF in the previous 76 years and serve for more than three years, research indicates.