Army Chief Qamar Bajwa named among World’s Most Powerful People

NEW YORK: The Forbes’ magazine has released an annual ranking of The World’s Most Powerful People 2018, listing Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa among 74 others.

“There are nearly 7.5 billion humans on planet Earth, but these 75 men and women make the world turn. Forbes’ annual ranking of The World’s Most Powerful People identifies one person out of every 100 million whose actions mean the most,” Forbes said.

The American magazine has ranked Pakistan’s army chief on 68th in the list of 75 people.

According to Forbes, Bajwa has established himself as a mediator and proponent of democracy in two years of his tenure as the head of the world’s sixth largest Army.

The magazine says “Javed Bajwa joins the world’s most powerful at a time when the rift between India and Pakistan is improving, partly thanks to his efforts.”

“He has a difficult task of keeping peace in the U.S. ally state where terrorist groups are present, while managing a complex relationship with India,” Forbes said.

According to Forbes, to compile the list it considered hundreds of candidates worldwide, from various walks of life, and measured their power along four dimensions of whether the person has power over lots of people, financial resources controlled by each person, whether the candidate is powerful in multiple spheres and whether the candidates actively used their power.

“Xi Jinping seizes the top spot for the first time ever after China’s congress amended its constitution in March, broadening his influence and eliminating term limits. He enjoys a cult of personality not seen since Chairman Mao,” Forbes said.

Ranking Trump in third position, the American magazine said he “has seen limited success pushing his agenda through a Congress controlled by his own party, is under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, and can’t shake off scandals arising from his personal and business life – but he’s still Commander in Chief of the world’s greatest economic and military power.”

Earlier this year, Putin was re-elected Russia’s President for a fourth term with nearly 77 per cent of the vote.

“That’s the largest margin of victory for any candidate for the office since the fall of the Soviet Union,” Forbes said.

“This year’s list highlights the consolidation of power in the hands of an elite few.”