2 years on: Did PMLN make good decision to select Gen. Raheel Sharif?

[FaujHistorian]

It is a bit early. Come November 2015, it will be two years of Gen Raheel Sharif as commander of PA. One wonders if PMLN made the right choice.

Mind you, that Gen. Raheel was not recommended by the outgoing Chief Gen. Kiyani.
Instead of going with two recommendees, PM Nawaz Sharif selected a bit junior but fully decorated generals who comes from a family of brave and loyal army officers.


Gen Raheel Sharif gets baton of command
Dawn.com — Updated Nov 29, 2013 03:22pm


ISLAMABAD: Outgoing military chief General Ashfaq Kayani on Friday handed over the command of the army to Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif.

He passed the baton of command to Gen Sharif at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, close to the General Headquarters (GHQ).

The entire area around the venue of the ceremony was blocked off with military and police personnel deployed in the area. Except for the invitees, no one was allowed to move into the area.

The change of command ceremony was attended by federal ministers, services chiefs, diplomats and senior serving and retired officers.

Speaking at the ceremony prior to handing over the baton of command to Gen Sharif, Kayani said leading Pakistan army was an honour for him. He said during his time as army chief he had experienced a wide array of challenges on which the military focused its full attention as a national institution.

The military worked with honesty and dedication, Kayani said, adding that it was only through the sacrifices rendered by the soldiers and the officers that peace could be established in some of the most challenging parts of the country.

He said the army had never disappointed the nation, the support of which was imperative for the military to continue its work with dedication.

He paid his respects to those killed during the “difficult time” that the country was going through, including the women and children whose lives were lost.

On Wednesday, the government had announced career infantry officer Raheel Sharif to succeed Kayani. Gen Rashad Mehmood was named the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee the same day.

Just prior to his appointment, Gen Sharif was serving as Inspector General Training and Evaluation with the rank of a Lt General.

Gen Sharif also holds the Hilal-i-Imtiaz military award, and is the younger brother of late Major Shabbir Sharif, who received the Nishan-i-Haider for his services in the 1971 war.

Gen Sharif's selection as army chief selection implies that frontrunner and the senior most military officer Lt Gen Haroon Aslam was ignored for the elevation. Lt Gen Aslam retired soon after the latest key military appointments.

The post of army chief is arguably the most powerful in Pakistan and anxiety had prevailed in Pakistan on who will replace the taciturn, chain-smoking Kayani.

Kayani’s retirement from the post comes after rules were relaxed to grant him an extension in July 2010 by the PPP-led coalition government in what then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said was in the interest of continuity at a time when the war on terror was successfully continuing against elements who wanted to impose a system of their choice on the country.

Gen Raheel Sharif gets baton of command - Home - DAWN.COM



@Atanz, @Gufi, @Slav Defence, @Luftwaffe, @WebMaster, @Jungibaaz, @jaibi, @notsuperstitious, @Azlan Haider, @ajpirzada, @DESERT FIGHTER, @AgNoStiC MuSliM, @Jazzbot, @Jf Thunder, @Hyperion, @JonAsad, @Nihonjin1051, @cirr, @Cherokee, @Genesis, @Bamxa, @SarthakGanguly, @Cat Shannon, @Butchcassidy, @Norwegian, @Mr.UTurn, @GreenFalcon, @Syed.Ali.Haider, @KURUMAYA, @Gazi, @Patriots, @karachiite_pacifist

 

[Super Falcon]

It is a bit early. Come November 2015, it will be two years of Gen Raheel Sharif as commander of PA. One wonders if PMLN made the right choice.

Mind you, that Gen. Raheel was not recommended by the outgoing Chief Gen. Kiyani.
Instead of going with two recommendees, PM Nawaz Sharif selected a bit junior but fully decorated generals who comes from a family of brave and loyal army officers.


Gen Raheel Sharif gets baton of command
Dawn.com — Updated Nov 29, 2013 03:22pm


ISLAMABAD: Outgoing military chief General Ashfaq Kayani on Friday handed over the command of the army to Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif.

He passed the baton of command to Gen Sharif at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium, close to the General Headquarters (GHQ).

The entire area around the venue of the ceremony was blocked off with military and police personnel deployed in the area. Except for the invitees, no one was allowed to move into the area.

The change of command ceremony was attended by federal ministers, services chiefs, diplomats and senior serving and retired officers.

Speaking at the ceremony prior to handing over the baton of command to Gen Sharif, Kayani said leading Pakistan army was an honour for him. He said during his time as army chief he had experienced a wide array of challenges on which the military focused its full attention as a national institution.

The military worked with honesty and dedication, Kayani said, adding that it was only through the sacrifices rendered by the soldiers and the officers that peace could be established in some of the most challenging parts of the country.

He said the army had never disappointed the nation, the support of which was imperative for the military to continue its work with dedication.

He paid his respects to those killed during the “difficult time” that the country was going through, including the women and children whose lives were lost.

On Wednesday, the government had announced career infantry officer Raheel Sharif to succeed Kayani. Gen Rashad Mehmood was named the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee the same day.

Just prior to his appointment, Gen Sharif was serving as Inspector General Training and Evaluation with the rank of a Lt General.

Gen Sharif also holds the Hilal-i-Imtiaz military award, and is the younger brother of late Major Shabbir Sharif, who received the Nishan-i-Haider for his services in the 1971 war.

Gen Sharif's selection as army chief selection implies that frontrunner and the senior most military officer Lt Gen Haroon Aslam was ignored for the elevation. Lt Gen Aslam retired soon after the latest key military appointments.

The post of army chief is arguably the most powerful in Pakistan and anxiety had prevailed in Pakistan on who will replace the taciturn, chain-smoking Kayani.

Kayani’s retirement from the post comes after rules were relaxed to grant him an extension in July 2010 by the PPP-led coalition government in what then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said was in the interest of continuity at a time when the war on terror was successfully continuing against elements who wanted to impose a system of their choice on the country.

Gen Raheel Sharif gets baton of command - Home - DAWN.COM



@Atanz, @Gufi, @Slav Defence, @Luftwaffe, @WebMaster, @Jungibaaz, @jaibi, @notsuperstitious, @Azlan Haider, @ajpirzada, @DESERT FIGHTER, @AgNoStiC MuSliM, @Jazzbot, @Jf Thunder, @Hyperion, @JonAsad, @Nihonjin1051, @cirr, @Cherokee, @Genesis, @Bamxa, @SarthakGanguly, @Cat Shannon, @Butchcassidy, @Norwegian, @Mr.UTurn, @GreenFalcon, @Syed.Ali.Haider, @KURUMAYA, @Gazi, @Patriots, @karachiite_pacifist

Bhai hume bhi tag kar lia karo humse kia dushmani ha

Anyways yes this is best thing ever happened in from pak leadership in entire history of pak

 

[A.M.]

Raheel Sharif should be a model example of how future Pakistani COAS should be.

Wants nothing to do with Politics and is tough as nails on anti-pakistani elements.

He was the absolute right choice and if Nawaz Sharif does nothing else from now on, his prime minister-ship would have been worth it for selecting Raheel.

 

[Haroon Qureshi]

PMLN has not done a favor on him. He deserved it.

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

I don't think this question should be asked.
Do we want the govt to select their paid military men to serve them as they do all over the country.....NO.

 

[Gufi]

This poll is flawed. Yes our current COAS is tackling every root problem that plagues Pakistan and is working day and night to make Pakistan the nation it was meant to be. But the other Generals who were passed over were also very capable men. So this poll is meaningless.

I don't think this question should be asked.

thank you, and it does a dis service discounting the Generals who were passed over, because they are all fine men and were capable also

 

[FaujHistorian]

I don't think this question should be asked.
Do we want the govt to select their paid military men to serve them as they do all over the country.....NO.

Bhai jaan,

That's the procedure.

Sitting gov selects the next Chief.

Are you suggesting the procedure should be changed?

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

This poll is flawed. Yes our current COAS is tackling every root problem that plagues Pakistan and is working day and night to make Pakistan the nation it was meant to be. But the other Generals who were passed over were also very capable men. So this poll is meaningless.


thank you, and it does a dis service discounting the Generals who were passed over, because they are all fine men and were capable also

Gen Haroon was not selected because he was an SSG officer and had a repo of being a very hard man. A very good soldier though.
Gen Rashid was to be made the CJSC.
Gen Raheel was selected because he had the repo of being a soft man.

 

[FaujHistorian]

This poll is flawed. Yes our current COAS is tackling every root problem that plagues Pakistan and is working day and night to make Pakistan the nation it was meant to be. But the other Generals who were passed over were also very capable men. So this poll is meaningless.


thank you, and it does a dis service discounting the Generals who were passed over, because they are all fine men and were capable also

Gufi bhai jaan

That's the procedure. Making that choice from a list of available generals is something done as per the rules.

Are you implying that such rules are bad?

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

Bhai jaan,

That's the procedure.

Sitting gov selects the next Chief.

Are you suggesting the procedure should be changed?

Bhai Jan,
I never said the procedure should be changed.
Read my comments again.

 

[FaujHistorian]

...Gen Raheel was selected because he had the repo of being a soft man.

Is he now?

or GRS has a different repo after becoming chief?

Remember we have 2 years (almost) worth of data, so our analysis should not just focus on something BEFORE 2013.

 

[Gufi]

Are you implying that such rules are bad?

No what I am saying is that if any of the other generals were chosen they would also have worked day and night to make Pakistan better. I am saying that there were no wrong choices. I am saying that a poll like this serves no purpose at all.

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

Is he now?

Yes he is, but soft doesn't mean that he is a coward.
He is a service minded soldier and any officer who has served his country sincerely will have the same outlook.

 

[FaujHistorian]

PMLN has not done a favor on him. He deserved it.

It is not about "favor" bhai jaan.

It PMLN's decision to pick one from the list of available generals.

 

[Jango]

On the face of it, yes.

But then again, is mulk main yehi masla hai keh jab koi serving ho to us ki tareefain khatam hi nhn hoteen...case in point Kayani and also Musharraf to quite an extent.

So let's ask this question again 2 years after his retirement...

There is certainly no evidence to suggest to the contrary though that he will remain as professional as he has been up till now. The media was head over heels for Kayai, but people who knew what was going on had a different opinion.