Brig. Gen. Shahid Imtiaz Promotes Regional Cooperation to Increase Security
UNIPATH STAFF
With vast experience in security and stability operations, Pakistani Brig. Gen. Shahid Imtiaz is a leader who recognizes the importance of international cooperation.
During the U.S. Central Command’s 2016 Regional Cooperation (RC16) multinational command post military exercise, Brig. Gen. Shahid was charged with leading a United Nations Force Intervention Brigade. The exercise, held in the United States in September 2016, brought together forces from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and the U.S.
Throughout the exercise, Brig. Gen. Shahid taught the officers to deal with the many challenges presented by the scenario, which involved assisting a country wracked by decades of civil war, corruption and lawlessness. He listened to staff recommendations and took action or offered alternative courses of action to consider — enabling staff officers with various backgrounds and levels of peacekeeping expertise to hone their skills in support of peace and stability operations.
“Brig. Gen. Shahid adeptly led the RC 16 multinational brigade staff, enabling the group to accomplish the exercise’s goals and objectives. His leadership and expert guidance were integral to the staff overcoming the complex security challenges presented in the scenarios,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Ralph Groover III, director of exercises and training at U.S. Central Command. “It was a pleasure working with Brig. Gen. Shahid and his team.”
Brig. Gen. Shahid thanked the multinational participants for their work during the scenario. “It’s very important to cooperate at the international and regional levels so that, together, we can meet and overcome changing threats,” he said.
He explained that Central Asian countries will play a large role in securing and stabilizing the region, so it’s important for them to participate in such exercises to increase familiarity with the practices of partner nations.
“The scope of this exercise in this forum adds a new dimension,” he said. “Pakistan and Central Asia are virtually neighbors; thus, the safety and security of Central Asia are critically important to Pakistan. A lot of things are happening in our region, and we hope that Pakistan can be a conduit for regional peace and prosperity.”
Pakistan has a strong history of participation in stability and international peacekeeping operations, and Brig. Gen. Shahid is no exception. “We bring a very rich experience,” the general said. “We have a very robust training program.”
Commissioned into an infantry regiment in the Pakistan Army in October 1988, Brig. Gen. Shahid commanded a company in Pakistan’s mountainous northern region.
He served as a military observer for the U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2006 and 2007, and later served as a military analyst with the Joint Mission Analysis Cell, closely observing the workings of the U.N. mission.
He has commanded an infantry battalion and earned a qualification from the Inter Army Defense Course in France. A graduate of the Command and Staff College and National Defence University Pakistan, he presently commands an infantry brigade.