Noel Israel Khokhar

Noel Israel Khokhar
Director General ISSRA
In office 27 November 2013 – 25 July 2016
Director General ISSRA
In office 16 June 2011 – 16 October 2011
General Officer Commanding 23rd Infantry Division Jhelum
In office January 2010 – June 2011
Personal details
Born	(1960-10-24) 24 October 1960 Lahore, Pakistan
Education	St. Anthony High School, Lahore Forman Christian College Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defence Royal College of Defence Studies Quaid-i-Azam University King's College London National Defence University, Pakistan
Awards	Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military)
Military service
Years of service	1976–2016
Rank	Major General
Unit	9th Medium Regiment Artillery Corps
Commands	DG ISSRA Chief Instructor A-Division National Defence University GOC 23rd Division Instructor Pakistan Military Academy Instructor Quetta Command & Staff College

Noel Israel Khokhar is a retired Major General of the Pakistani Army. He was one of the highest-ranking Christian serving officers in the Pakistan Army. As of 2020, he is currently serving as an Ambassador of Pakistan to Ukraine

Early life

He was born in Lahore and attended the St. Anthony's High School in Lahore and Forman Christian College. Khokhar joined the Pakistan Army and passed out from the 62nd PMA Living Course in 1976 and was commissioned in the 9th Medium Regiment of the Pakistan Army Artillery on 24 October 1980.

Military career

He served in a variety of command and staff positions as well as with the United Nations. He has also been an instructor in Pakistan Military Academy, Pakistan Command and Staff College, and the National Defence University. He is also a graduate from the Institute of Advanced Studies in National Defence and Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom. He also holds a master's degree from Quaid-i-Azam University and King's College London and a PhD in International Relations.

On 9 May 2009, the Army Promotion Board in Rawalpindi promoted Brigadier Khokhar to the rank of major general.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations Press Release dated 6 September 2010 Khokhar was General Officer Commanding in 2010.

In 2011 Major General Khokhar commanded the 23rd Division. Khokhar had also been Chief Instructor of the A-Division at the National Defence University, Islamabad. In 2011 the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari awarded Khokhar the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (M). He had also been serving as DG ISSRA, a think tank at the NDU.

In 2011 he was also on the editorial board of the National Defence University Journal, Islamabad. He is one of the only Christian officers who have made it to the rank of major general.

He retired in August 2016 after serving for 36 years.

Later life

He is currently serving as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Ukraine.

Effective dates of promotion

Insignia	Rank	Date
	Major General	9 May 2009
	Brigadier
	Colonel
	Lieutenant Colonel
	Major
	Captain
	Lieutenant
	Second Lieutenant

Awards and decorations

	Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) (Crescent of Excellence)
Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal) 1998	Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan (Escalation with India Medal) 2002	10 Years Service Medal
20 Years Service Medal	30 Years Service Medal	35 Years Service Medal
Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e- Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam (100th Birth Anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah) 1976	Hijri Tamgha (Hijri Medal) 1979	Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal) 1988	Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990	Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal)