Lt-Gen Tariq Khan

Armoured Corps

Commander, Mangla I Corps, one of Pakistan's two strike formations that is the seat of the newly formed Central Command (as three-Star/Lt General)

Reformed the Frontier Corps as a COIN/CT-ready fighting force at a time the paramilitary outfit's personnel were surrendering by the dozens to Taliban militants
Held in high regard by the US; recipient, like Kayani, of the United States Legion of Merit
Never took and/or offered the elite PSO desk job, and is considered a 'field man' or a 'soldier's soldier' by having more frontline commands of large forma-tions than the other contenders, along with a frontline attitude
Has a bit of a live-wire journalist in him; was the Editor of The Citadel, an Army quarterly where he would allow controversial organisational suggestions to be printed. He's also reportedly in favour of the 'line command' of deployed strategic assets, which means that he wants more forgers on more nuclear triggers
Tariq has the support of the 'fighting fit' lobby in the Army; he's a tough con-tender because he's a tough soldier. However, with little experience in the more 'political' command and staff jobs, he is set back by actual distance from Kayani
Still, Tariq could be just what the old school thinks CHO requires - a rough riding cavalryman who ends the march of a savvy collection of connected infan-trymen. On the flipside, his Pashtun temperament and no-nonsense attitude have made entire brigades wobble. But don't count Tariq out. His rise as Chief would probably be a popular rank-and-file move, but the COAS's office isn't built on just a popularity contest