Lieutenant General Akram's services as Deputy chairman Erra lauded
Terming Lieutenant General Sajjad Akram the real architect of the entire rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in quake hit areas, the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) top leadership stated that the dedicated efforts of General Sajjad guided the authority for early completion of the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects.
Saleem Altaf, Chairman Erra paid tributes to his Deputy General Sajjad Akram for his dedicated efforts, saying that his tireless efforts were the driving force for Erra, which helped in completing the construction projects. Lieutenant General Sajjad Akram, bids farewell to army on May 1, 2010 after playing a long and illustrious role. He retires from army with the same grace and dignity with which he stayed for about 4 decades, said a statement issued by Erra here on Thursday.
On May 24, 2008, General Sajjad took over as the Deputy Chairman Erra, an authority responsible for orchestrating reconstruction and rehabilitation operations in the quake-ravished regions of AJK and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP). During his about two year period in Erra, the authority, besides experiencing a number of institutional and organisational changes, witnessed remarkable acceleration with regards to the completion of reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in the earthquake affected areas of AJ&K and KP. His tenure will be remembered as the most productive period in the history of Erra, the statement said.
Born on April 5, 1954 in Hyderabad, Lieutenant General Sajjad was commissioned in the Pakistan Army in December 1971 in an elite Infantry Battalion, viz 11 Baloch Regiment, which is famous for its history and rich traditions since the pre-independence days.
A Graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta and National Defence College, Islamabad, he has had the distinction of serving on prestigious command, staff and instructional appointments at reputed training institutions, units, formations and headquarters. He has the privilege to command two infantry units (69 Baloch Regiment and 42 Baloch Regiment), 6 Azad Kashmir Brigade, 37 Division and 1 Corps.
He has also held prestigious staff appointments including GSO-3 Infantry Brigade, Brigade Major of an Independent Infantry Brigade Group and Chief of Staff of a Strike Corps. His instructional experience includes one at Pakistan Military Academy as Platoon Commander and at the Staff and Command College as a member of the Directing Staff.
The General also served as a Director General of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Director General, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), besides having the singular honour of being the only Pakistani General Officer, who has ever held the prestigious appointment of the Force Commander and the Chief Military Observer United Nations Assistance Mission for Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).