ISLAMABAD - Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas has assumed the responsibilities as Commander Central Punjab (COMCEP). “Upon assumption of Command, Rear Admiral Zahid llyas is now the Commander of all Pakistan Navy Units/ Establishments from Bahawalpur to Wazirabad and the Commandant of Pakistan Navy War College, Lahore,” a Pakistan Navy (PN) press release said here Tuesday. Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas, who got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1988, has a distinguished career with wide ranging Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments include Commanding Officer PNS BABUR and PNS ZULFIQAR, Commandant Pakistan Naval Academy and Commander 18th Destroyer Squadron. He has also commanded Combined Task Force-150 (CTF-150). His distinguished Staff appointments include Principal Secretary to Chief of the Naval Staff and Director General C4I at Naval Headquarters, Islamabad. The Admiral is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College and National Defence University, Islamabad. He has also done Masters in Military Research from United Kingdom and Senior Naval Command Course from China. Before assuming the duties as Commander Central Punjab, the Admiral was serving as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Training & Evaluation) at Naval Headquarters, Islamabad. In recognition of his meritorious services, the Admiral was awarded Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military). The change of command ceremony was held at Naval Complex Walton, Lahore where Rear Admiral Naveed Ahmed Rizvi handed over the Command to the newly appointed COMCEP. Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas was presented with the guard of honour and introduced to the Commanding officers / Officers in Charges and Staff Officers of Headquarters COMCEP. Upon assumption of the command, the newly appointed COMCEP, Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas visited Shuhada's Monument, laid wreath and offered Fateha. The ceremony was attended by a large number of Pakistan Navy officers, CPOs/sailors and Navy civilians.