History will favor Pakistan's army chief despie setbacks

[Farah Sohail]

Shaukat Qadir

Gen Ashfaq Kayani, the head of the Pakistani army who is expected to step down later this year, is among the most well-known senior military figures of our times. While his strengths and weaknesses have been endlessly chronicled and assessed by a huge variety of analysts, my advantage is that I have known him for many decades.

Since he numbered among Gen Musharraf's selections for promotion, he was considered a loyalist even though he wasn't.

When Gen Kayani was a three-star general, there was some disagreement between the two. He would never have risen further but for circumstances that forced Gen Musharraf's hand.

Read more: History will favour Pakistan's army chief, despite setbacks | The National

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Brig. Shaukat Qadir has written a well-thought out and balanced critique of Gen. Kiyani in his op-ed in "The National". And he is quite accurate in describing Kiyani's performance in his first term of office as well as the difference in the second term.

But the reality is, Gen.Kiyani led the Pakistani Army and the Defence Estt. in one of the most excruciatingly difficult periods in the history of Pakistan. That should also be considered, though realistically speaking: many of those difficulties have a "blow-back" connectivity to policies that the PA and the "Deep State" themselves vigorously pursued.

Most of all the 'Awaam' in Pakistan should gratefully remember and commend; that Gen.Kiyani allowed Democracy to exist in Pakistan and to allow "for the first time in the history of Pakistan" - a Civilian Govt. to take over from another Civilian Govt. after Elections. That is something unprecedented in Pakistan's history. That itself will ensure Gen.Kiyani's place in his country's history!

After Kiyani, What? That will be a question that will loom large in Pakistan atleast, if not in the rest of the world. Will the Security Estt. and the "Deep State" allow Democracy to finally strike strong roots in perpetuity? Will it progressively transfer its intrusive presence in Policy-Making in the Country, esp in Security and Foreign Policy? Will these functions shift from Rawalpindi to Islamabad? Just some questions that are waiting for answers in Kiyani's aftermath.

Some pointers to those answers can be found in another op-ed in "The National", viz. the following:

Pakistan ponders army chief choice | The National

 

[asad71]

For his leadership during this difficult time, and for keeping the military away from politics, Kyani deserves to be made a Field Marshal.

 

[Liquidmetal]

Yep Kayani is probably the best Chief the PA ever had. His decision to re-focus the army back to professional matters rather than politics and to allow democracy to exist should be forever remembered. His biggest failure has been to allow the milirants too much room to exist - he should have set up a quick reaction squads to snatch and destroy these dogs.

 

[krash]

Wait 20 more years and then you'll get to know the game that he has played.