Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday approved Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid’s application for early retirement, a private TV channel reported. A few days ago, Lt Gen Hamid sent his application to GHQ, which forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s Office for approval via the defence ministry. Lt Gen Hamid served as DG ISI and corps commander Peshawar during the PTI government. He was later posted as Bahawalpur corps commander. Hamid’s announcement came on the heels of Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt General Azhar Abbas’s similar decision. The two top army men were among the six candidates recommended for the office of the chief of the army staff to succeed General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retired on November 29, 2022. However, the PM selected General Asim Munir, who assumed command of the armed forces on the same day.