Khalid Mahmud Arif

Who is Khalid Mahmud Arif?

General Khalid Mahmud Arif, was a senior four-star ranking general officer who served as the vice chief of army staff of Pakistan Army under the scrutiny of President General Zia-ul-Haq. Working as the principle military adviser to Zia's military government in the capacity of Chief of Staff, Arif elevated to become Zia's closest collaborator and confident who worked closely in the matters of national security, overseeing and handling major civil-military issues directly involving the country's internal and foreign security.

Preceded by Lieutenant-General Syed Refaqat as chief of staff who stayed till General Zia-ul-Haq's death in the 1988 plane crash, Arif reached to a four-star rank and commanded the Pakistan Army's as its designated vice chief of army staff in place of General Sawar Khan who was due for retirement, in March 1984. He held on to this post for three years, after which he was himself replaced by General Mirza Aslam Beg in March 1987.