General Asif Nawaz Janjua | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 4th Chief of Army Staff | |
| In office 16 August 1991 – 8 January 1993 | |
| President | Ghulam Ishaq Khan |
| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Preceded by | Mirza Aslam Beg |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Waheed |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Asif Nawaz Janjua 3 January 1937 Chakri Rajgan in Jhelum District, Punjab, British India (Now, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 8 January 1993 (aged 56) Rawalpindi Cantt, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest as a result of Arsenic poisoning |
| Relatives |
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| Alma mater | |
| Nickname | Soldier's Soldier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Pakistan |
| Branch/service |  Pakistan Army |
| Years of service | 1955–93 |
| Rank |   General |
| Unit | 5th Punjab Regiment |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
General Asif Nawaz Janjua NI(M), HI(M), SBt, psc, (Urdu: آصف نواز جنجوعہ ; 3 January 1937 – 8 January 1993) was a senior officer of the Pakistan Army who served as the fourth chief of army staff from 16 August 1991 until his death from arsenic poisoning. His family commissioned a private test on hair from his brush, which was conducted in the United States. The test registered high levels of arsenic.[2] As a result, his body was exhumed, and an autopsy was conducted by French, British, and American doctors. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack, which can also be caused by exposure to low or mild levels of arsenic.[3] Benazir Bhutto also believed he was murdered by political opponents, namely Nawaz Sharif.[4]
His tenure is regarded as having stabilised the civilian control of the Pakistani military. He is one of the four armed forces chiefs who had died while in active service, the others being Admiral Hasan Hafeez Ahmed in 1975, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1988, and Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir in 2002.[5][6]
- ^ "'Pakistan's armed forces second to none'". DailyTimes. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ^ "General's Death Remains a Mystery in Pakistan". AP NEWS. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- ^ "Moderate Arsenic in Environment Tied to Higher Heart Attack, Stroke Risk".
- ^ "Mystery Death of General Haunts Pakistan Elections". Los Angeles Times. 6 October 1993.
- ^ "Gen. Asif Nawaz of Pakistan, 56, A Champion of Democracy, Dies" The New York Times, 9 January 1993
- ^ "Indian Air Force meets 294 accidents in almost 58 years". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 3 April 2022.