ZARDARI APPOINTS "FORWARD LEANING" AIR CHIEF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 000583 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR MARR PK SUBJECT: ZARDARI APPOINTS "FORWARD LEANING" AIR CHIEF Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (C) As the USG considers options on how to continue Pakistan's F-16 program in the face of funding problems (septel),Air Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman assumes command March 18 as Pakistan's new Chief of Air Staff. He replaces retiring Air Chief Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, who had lobbied extensively for increased U.S. FMF funding in support of the F-16 program. Suleman is well known to the Embassy as an Officer who wants to maintain GOP territorial defense capability against India but who also understands Pakistan's paramount need right now is to build counter-insurgency capability. He wants Close Air Support training and has extensive plans to build up infrastructure and support services for the new F-16 base at Shahbaz. BIO NOTES -------------- ¶2. (U) Born in 1954, Air Marshal Suleman spent his youth in Karachi and Islamabad, eventually graduating from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Public School in Sargodha, Punjab. He joined the PAF, graduating from the PAF Academy in Risalput in June 1975. According to his official biography, Suleman flew the U.S. F-86, French Mirages and unspecified Chinese aircraft. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Combat Commander on Fighters. He has commanded an elite Fighter Squadron, a Fighter Flying Wing and a Fighter PAF Base. ¶3. (U) Suleman's staff positions include: Deputy Director in the Operations Branch, Assistant Chief of Staff (Plans) and Deputy Inspector General. His senior staff positions include Commandant of the Air War College and Air Officer Commanding, Southern Air Command. Prior to his promotion as Chief of Staff Air Chief Marshal, Suleman served as Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations). ¶4. (U) Suleman has served as a fighter instructor pilot with the United Arab EMIRATES Air Force. He is a graduate of the PAF Air War College in Faisal and the National Defence College in Islamabad, where he completed his Masters in Strategic Studies. He has received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence),Sitara-i-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct) and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence). Air Marshal Suleman is fluent in English and is well known to U.S. military officials serving in Pakistan. He is married with three children - two daughters (21 and 23 years old) and a son who is currently working in the U.S. for Microsoft. ¶5. (C) Comment: Suleman is highly regarded and has good relations with U.S. military officials who work with him. The PAF had nominated the current Vice Chief Shahid Latif to become Air Chief Marshal but President Zardari chose Suleman. COAS Kayani told the Ambassador that both men were fully qualified, and he fully supported Zardari's choice and believed that Suleman was the better of the two. Described by U.S. Military officials at Post as "forward leaning" and someone "who gets it" on the need for building counter-insurgency capability, Suleman has traveled to the U.S. but has not participated in any USG programs there. End Comment. PATTERSON