ISLAMABAD: Social-media claims that General (retired) Sahir Shamshad Mirza — who retired as Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) on 27 November 2025 — has acquired Canadian citizenship are “false and baseless”, multiple fact-checking accounts found.
The claim originated from India-based X accounts and has been flagged as disinformation by regional fact-checkers.
General (retired) Mirza retired as a top Pakistani military officer after a 40-year of service with the Pakistan Army.
Legal and institutional rules make the instant acquisition of foreign nationality by serving Pakistan Army generals highly unlikely without government clearance.
What was claimed
Posts on X handles such as Indian Defence Updates and Baba Banaras circulated messages saying Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza had “settled in Canada” or taken Canadian citizenship after retirement.
These claims spread across other social channels and were shared by accounts known for polarising content.
However, independent fact checkers found that RAW-backed propaganda accounts are spreading fake news claiming General Mirza has taken Canadian citizenship. Pakistan Army rules strictly prohibit dual nationality during service.
Even after retirement, no Pakistan military officer can acquire a foreign nationality without government and institutional clearance (NOC).
Fact checkers found the claim as a baseless lie and a part of a disinformation war against Pakistan by anti-state networks.
What the checks found
Regional fact-check accounts have labelled the social media posts as false. Independent fact checkers and other verification pages described the reports as “fake” and part of a disinformation campaign.
General Mirza retired from the post of CJCSC on 27 November 2025 after a 40-year career. Mainstream Pakistan and international media outlets make no mention of any change of nationality.
General (retired) Mirza completed his term as the last CJCSC of the country. There is no credible evidence that he has acquired Canadian citizenship.
Legal and institutional context
Pakistan’s rules and the Citizenship Act make it unlikely that a serving four-star general could hold or immediately acquire foreign citizenship without formal clearances.
Military regulations prohibit dual nationality during service, and any post-service change of nationality requires government and institutional approval (a “no-objection” certificate), which would be a matter of record. Fact-checkers highlighted this institutional barrier when debunking the claim.
Why the claim is misleading
The claim lacks documentary proof. No immigration or government record has been produced to substantiate the assertion that Gen (retired) Mirza has Canadian nationality.
The posts originated from accounts already flagged by verified fact checkers for spreading misleading narratives about Pakistani officials. Fact-checking organisations describe the content as propaganda aimed at discrediting Pakistani institutions.
Verdict
False. There is no reliable evidence that General (retired) Sahir Shamshad Mirza has taken Canadian citizenship.
Multiple fact-checking accounts have flagged the social-media claims as disinformation.
