Mohamed Zahir

Mohamed Zahir
މުޙައްމަދު ޒާހިރު
Official portrait, 2013
National Security Advisor
In office 18 November 2008 – 10 December 2010
President	Mohamed Nasheed
Preceded by	Created
Succeeded by	Ameen Faisal
Chief of Defence Force
In office 11 November 1996 – 18 November 2008
President	Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Preceded by	Abdul Sattar Adam
Succeeded by	Moosa Ali Jaleel
Personal details
Education	Majeediyya School
Alma mater	Hendon Police College Naval Postgraduate School Harvard Kennedy School College of Defence and Security Studies
Nickname	22 Zahir
Military career
Allegiance	Maldives
Service / branch	Maldives National Defence Force
Years of service	1972-2013
Rank	Major general
Battles / wars	1988 Maldives coup attempt
Awards	Medal for Exceptional Bravery Order of Distinguished Army Service Distinguished Service Medal Presidential Medal Dedicated Service Medal

Major General (Retired) Mohamed Zahir (Dhivehi: މުހައްމަދު ޒާހިރު) is a former Chief of Defence Force of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the National Security Advisor of the Maldives.

Zahir had his secondary education in Majeediyya School. Zahir is a graduate of Hendon Police College, London, United Kingdom, and the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, United States. He also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government, United States, in a program for Senior Executives in National and International Security. He was also awarded an honorary master's degree from the College of Defence and Security Studies (CDSS) of MNDF on 6 November 2017.^[1]

In 1972, Zahir joined the civil service and worked in various government departments before enlisting in the Maldives National Defense Force in 1978 to the rank of sergeant and was commissioned as an officer two years later.

He assumed command as Chief of Defence Force (CDF) of MNDF, formerly known as the National Security Service (NSS), on November 11, 1996, as a brigadier.^[2] He was promoted to the rank of major general on April 21, 2004. He was also the chairman of the MNDF Advisory Council, the highest forum of senior serving officers. Zahir is also known to many Maldivians by the nickname "two two Zahir" (22 Zahir). He held the post of CDF until 18 November 2008. He was then appointed as the national security advisor on 18 November 2008 and remained in the appointment until 2010.^[2]

During his past years of service, he has undertaken various command positions within different units of the MNDF. Before assuming the duties as the chief of staff of MNDF, he was also the deputy chief of staff of MNDF. During this tenure, he played an integral role in conceptualizing and doctrinally developing the operational functioning of all the arms and services of the MNDF. He has also commanded the NSS Training Unit, now re-established as the Defence Institute for Training and Education, whereby laying the groundwork for restructure and streamlining overall training policies. Zahir's dedicated effort in the development of the military has been highly appreciated by all ranks of the Maldives National Defence Force.^[3]

In 2008, he was appointed as the National Security Advisor to the President of the Maldives until 2010, where his successor was Ameen Faisal.^[4]

Zahir is married to Fathimath Amira, a former principal of the Centre for Higher Secondary Education. Zahir has four sons and one daughter. His second son, Colonel Hussain Fairoosh, is currently serving in the Maldives National Defence Force.^{[citation needed]}

On 3 November 2008, for his gallant actions in the incidents of 1988, when a group of PLOTE mercenaries from Sri Lanka attacked the capital Malé, he was awarded the second highest gallantry award (Dhivehi: ޣާޒީގެ އެންމެ މަތިވެރި ޢަސްކަރީ ޝަރަފު), the Medal for Exceptional Bravery, by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In addition, he is also decorated with the Presidential Medal, Distinguished Service Medal and the Dedicated Service Medal. On 26 July 2013, he was awarded the then highest honor of the state for Distinguished Army Service named "Nishan Askareege Verikan" (Dhivehi: ނިޝާން ޢަސްކަރީގެ ވެރިކަން(ނ.އ.ވ)) in recognition of his military service to the security of the nation and its people and his invaluable contribution towards maintaining peace and tranquillity in the country.^[3]

• Maldivian Military Chief visits Army Headquarters
• Maldivian Military Chief Mohamed Zahir in Sri Lanka^{[permanent dead link]}
• MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMED ZAHIR CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE, MALDIVES CALLS ON DGICG - 27 FEB 2006
• Member of Parliament Tweet
• Mohamed Zahir appointed for the ExCo of Asian Shooting Confederation^{[permanent dead link]}