Maj. Gen. (r) Ather Abbas

A two-star general and a former military spokesperson for the Pakistan Defence Forces, Major General (r) Athar Abbas, who retired from army in June 2012, is currently serving as Pakistan Ambassador to Ukraine. He served as the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) from January 2008 to June 2012.

He was commissioned in October 1976 in the 54th PMA Long Course from the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul into the Armoured Corps. Before joining Inter Services Public Relations Directorate, Maj. Gen. (r) Abbas was serving as Director General Quartering and Lands in Quartermaster General’s Branch, General Headquarters.

Maj. Gen. (r) Ather Abbas has attended Armed Forces War Course and National Defence Course at the National Defence College, Islamabad. He has been on the faculty of Command and Staff College, Quetta and National Defence College, Islamabad. He holds a master's degrees in War Studies as well as Strategic Studies from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. He was promoted to Major General in June 2005 and has commanded an armoured division in Kharian from June 2005 to June 2007.

He has held various command, staff and instructional appointments that include command of an armoured regiment, armoured brigade and armoured division. Maj. Gen. (r) Ather Abbas has been General Staff Officer (Operations) in various armoured formations. He is a graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta and Armed Forces Staff College, Malaysia. He is a participant of the Executive Course at Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Hawaii USA.

Maj. Gen. (r) Ather Abbas is married with three children. Three of his brothers are associated with journalism and the media, working with leading media organisations. His brothers are Mazhar Abbas (works for ARY and headed the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists for several years), Azhar Abbas (Geo Managing Director), Zaffar Abbas (Editor of Dawn).