Anwar Shamim

Who was Anwar Shamim?

Air-Chief Marshal Anwar Shamim, NI, SI, HI, SJ, was a four-star air-force general officer who was the 10th Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force from July 23, 1978 to March 5, 1985. Air Chief Marshal Shamim was promoted to four-star general and assumed the command of the Pakistan Air Force on 23 July 1978. Air Chief Marshal Anwar Shamim, a war hero, is a one of the most decorated military officers in the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Air-Chief Marshal Shamim was one of the important and powerful figure during the dictatorial regime of General Zia-ul-Haq. Shamim was one of the closest confident of General Zia-ul-Haq and had access to country's most confidential assets while he acted as Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator when General Zia was abroad or/ absent in the country. As four-star general and air officer, Shamim was one of the few figures that had played an influential and internal role in county's clandestine nuclear development programme, with major security and logistics issues needing his permission. In 1980s, Shamim took over the confidential and clandestine research and development projects of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission— country's national space authority — and initiated, and administrated the integrated missile programme, of which the first Hatf missile system was developed under his administrative supervision.