Abdul Aziz Mirza

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Abdul Aziz Mirza (born 1943) is a retired Pakistani admiral who served as the 15th Chief of Naval Staff from 1999 to 2002. He took over after Admiral Fasih Bokhari resigned over a dispute about the top joint chiefs post. After leaving the Navy, he became Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2002 to 2005 and later took on the role of CEO at The Centaurus in Islamabad.

Mirza joined the Pakistan Navy in 1961 and had a long career as a surface and submarine officer. He fought in the 1965 and 1971 wars with India, commanded submarines such as the Daphné and Agosta 70, and held important staff roles including Naval Secretary and Vice Chief of Naval Staff before becoming Chief of Naval Staff. He played a key part in the Agosta-90B submarine program and helped negotiate with France on related technology transfers. He also led the Navy during the India–Pakistan standoff in 2001–02 and emphasized Pakistan’s readiness.

He has received several honors, including Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Basalat, as well as foreign awards such as the Legion of Merit and the Legion d’honneur from France.

Born in Rawalpindi in 1943, Mirza came from a military family and trained at the Military College Jhelum and the Pakistan Military Academy, with further studies abroad as part of his professional development. After retirement from the Navy, he remained active in public service and business, including work with PakGulf Construction and leadership at The Centaurus in Islamabad.