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NEWS ANALYSIS
Who is going to be Nawaz Sharif’s new Army Chief?
November 23, 2016
News Analysis | Nov 23, 2016
Who will be Pakistan’s next Army Chief? This question is on the minds of political pundits from Islamabad to Delhi to Washington. This intense speculation kick started when on Monday, DG ISPR Lt. General Asim Bajwa put to rest unending debate around a possible extension for General Raheel Sharif by announcing that COAS had begun a round of farewell visits to various garrisons.
Gen. Raheel Sharif while addressing a large gathering of officers of army and rangers in Lahore emphasized that he has striven for peace and stability and for defeating the enemy goals against Pakistan. Gen. Sharif will retire on 29th November and before this PM Nawaz has to name his successor.
While tradition in Pakistan is that Army General Headquarters officially sends a seniority list of top ranking officials without any recommendations, the political rumor mill is alive with the suggestion that Army prefers, battle hardened, Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem, currently Corps. Commander Multan as the next COAS and the senior most officer, Lt. Gen. Zubair Hayat will be promoted as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, since Gen. Rashad, current CJCS is also set to retire on 29th November. Sources insist that Gen. Raheel Sharif has an understanding with the PM that GHQ’s unwritten recommendation of Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem as COAS will be adhered to. However as per the sources PM Nawaz had to make that public by 23rd November and so far there is silence on that issue.
No Chief executive in Pakistan has appointed more Army Chiefs than Nawaz Sharif. Selecting Gen. Raheel’s successor will be the sixth time PM Nawaz will be making this decision. His first appointment was Gen. Asif Nawaz Janjua in Aug 1991 at the retirement of Gen. Mirza Aslam Baig. Gen. Baig was instrumental in transferring power to Nawaz Sharif after the death of Gen. Zia and later with the unceremonious sacking of Benazir Bhutto’s short lived govt. With Gen. Janjua’s sudden death, Nawaz Sharif appointed Gen. Waheed Kakar (Jan 1993) and later Gen. Musharraf in Oct 1998. The momentary appointment of Gen. Zia ud Din Butt as replacement of Gen. Musharraf in October 1999 was also technically a Nawaz Sharif political decision, though it lead to a coup and is not part of official records. Gen. Raheel Sharif was thus the fifth appointment of an Army Chief, if we factor in the appointment of Gen. Zia ud Din Butt as one of the political decisions.
With this vast experience at his disposal, it is only natural to think that appointing Army Chiefs is a routine matter for Pakistan’s third time PM: Nawaz Sharif. However historical record shows otherwise. He was at logger heads with his fist appointment, Gen. Asif Nawaz Janjua and when later suddenly died of a heart attack, street rumors continued for months that General Janjua was poisoned and it had something to do with the political tensions with the government. Gen. Waheed Kakar was instrumental in making both President Ghulam Ishaq and PM Nawaz resign in 1993, when both could not resolve their political confrontation and had created an unprecedented standoff between Punjab police and federal force of Rangers. In 1998, Nawaz Sharif unceremoniously sacked Gen. Jehangir Karamat and brought in Gen. Musharraf – 3rd or 4th on seniority list – as his new Chief. Nawaz’s assumption was that a Muhajir from Karachi will be a weak chief in an army dominated by Punjabis. However when after Kargill, Nawaz tried putting all the responsibility upon Gen. Musharaf and tensions developed, army generals stood by a Muhajir Chief even when Nawaz had officially replaced Musharraf with Gen. Zia ud Din Butt. The miscalculation landed Nawaz Sharif in jail and later in a long and lonely exile in Saudi Arabia.
raheel-sharifWith this historical lens, it becomes clear that Gen. Raheel Sharif was his best and safest bet in his entire political career. When Gen. Raheel was appointed, many eye brows were raised and retired and serving officers quietly pointed out that Gen. Raheel was slow in making decisions and that Nawaz Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as Chief Minister Punjab, had struck a good mental equation with Gen. Sharif as Corps Commander. Later critics silently argued that Gen. Sharif had gone out of the way, at least twice, to politically bail out PM Nawaz Sharif; one, during the 2014 dharnas when he was asked by Nawaz Sharif to mediate with protesting opposition on Islamabad’s constitution avenue and he failed to extract any political concessions for the protesting opposition and later when he supported the second Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate Model Town killings of June 2014. The second JIT was a political requirement of Shahbaz Sharif since the report by Lahore High Court Commission of Justice Baqir Najfi (appointed by the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif) had almost indicted the Shahbaz Govt for the killings in Model Town.
It was in this political context that many expected Gen. Raheel Sharif to get an extension. Rumors of either an extension or term increase to four years started to circulate in Islamabad’s political circles in late 2015. By November and December 2015, it was being hotly debated on tv talk shows with all kinds of arguments for and against the general. This soon turned ugly and nasty and personal.
In January 2016, DG ISPR while quoting the army chief ended speculation theories about extension in service of COAS by categorically rejecting reports that the army chief would seek to extend his tenure from three to four years.
It was rare and rather awkward moment for an Army Chief to say: ‘I am not interested.’ Operation Zarb-e-Azb was a natural culmination of Pakistan Army’s continuing institutional strategic struggle against urban and peripheral insurgencies. However, its historical background was often set aside and in popular imagination it was credited mainly to Gen. Sharif who was soon seen as the hero, Pakistan was always looking for in its desperate times. Under Gen. Sharif lead army Pakistan saw increasing stabilization in its northwest, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Baluchistan and Karachi. General’s accountability drive that lead to the sacking of senior officers including a Lt. General lead to hopes that this process will soon extend to Pakistan’s notoriously corrupt political elite and a clean up operation across Punjab. However, no such development took place and ISPR was often blamed by its critics for building a personality cult around General Sharif.raheel
PM Nawaz Sharif is the only person who exactly knows who the next army chief will be, but political and media speculations are continuing for the past several months. As for the seniority list Lt. Gen. Maqsood Ahmed tops the list, which is currently working as Military Adviser UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, New York. But Gen. Maqsood is already on extension and he would not be considered for the post of COAS. The second in line is Lt. Gen Zubair Hayat currently posted as Chief of General Staff. (CGS). He has previously served as Corps. Commander Bahawalpur and Chairman Strategic Planning Division (SPD); when he was brought back from SPD to be the Chief of General Staff then it was speculated that Gen. Raheel has selected him as his successor but now the rumor mill says that Gen. Hayat is likely to be appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee.
Political pundits predict, and there is much consensus on it, that Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, who is Commander II Corps Multan is the most favorite candidate for the COAS post. Army officers consider him to be the most decisive, war hardened general. Other in contest are Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday, Commander XXXI Corps Bahawalpur and Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inspector General Training & Evaluation. Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain Chairman Heavy Industries Taxila and Lt Gen Najibullah Khan DG Joint Staff Headquarters both figure in the seniority list but are not technically qualified to be appointed army chief since they have not commanded a corp.
But all these speculations rest upon Army’s consensus around Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem for being the strong officer. PM Nawaz Sharif on other hand has developed the reputation of appointing either the weakest of the men or utter loyalists. He promised his able lieutenant Sartaj Aziz to make him the President of Pakistan but later retained him in Foreign Office merely as an adviser, his selection of a non-entity, Mamnoon Hussain as President reflected his mind set and exhibited his deep seated fears. Recently the selection of an ailing loyalist, Justice Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui as Sindh Governor in a province that demands a robust role for a governor again reflected his priorities. If Nawaz Sharif ended up appointing Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem as his next Army Chief, then it will only confirm the presence of an institutional pressure. But Nawaz Sharif is continuously defying such institutional pressures; he can still surprise all political pundits by pulling a coup and appointing someone he thinks is either the weakest or the utter loyalist.
Who is going to be Nawaz Sharif’s new Army Chief?
November 23, 2016
News Analysis | Nov 23, 2016
Who will be Pakistan’s next Army Chief? This question is on the minds of political pundits from Islamabad to Delhi to Washington. This intense speculation kick started when on Monday, DG ISPR Lt. General Asim Bajwa put to rest unending debate around a possible extension for General Raheel Sharif by announcing that COAS had begun a round of farewell visits to various garrisons.
Gen. Raheel Sharif while addressing a large gathering of officers of army and rangers in Lahore emphasized that he has striven for peace and stability and for defeating the enemy goals against Pakistan. Gen. Sharif will retire on 29th November and before this PM Nawaz has to name his successor.
While tradition in Pakistan is that Army General Headquarters officially sends a seniority list of top ranking officials without any recommendations, the political rumor mill is alive with the suggestion that Army prefers, battle hardened, Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem, currently Corps. Commander Multan as the next COAS and the senior most officer, Lt. Gen. Zubair Hayat will be promoted as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, since Gen. Rashad, current CJCS is also set to retire on 29th November. Sources insist that Gen. Raheel Sharif has an understanding with the PM that GHQ’s unwritten recommendation of Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem as COAS will be adhered to. However as per the sources PM Nawaz had to make that public by 23rd November and so far there is silence on that issue.
No Chief executive in Pakistan has appointed more Army Chiefs than Nawaz Sharif. Selecting Gen. Raheel’s successor will be the sixth time PM Nawaz will be making this decision. His first appointment was Gen. Asif Nawaz Janjua in Aug 1991 at the retirement of Gen. Mirza Aslam Baig. Gen. Baig was instrumental in transferring power to Nawaz Sharif after the death of Gen. Zia and later with the unceremonious sacking of Benazir Bhutto’s short lived govt. With Gen. Janjua’s sudden death, Nawaz Sharif appointed Gen. Waheed Kakar (Jan 1993) and later Gen. Musharraf in Oct 1998. The momentary appointment of Gen. Zia ud Din Butt as replacement of Gen. Musharraf in October 1999 was also technically a Nawaz Sharif political decision, though it lead to a coup and is not part of official records. Gen. Raheel Sharif was thus the fifth appointment of an Army Chief, if we factor in the appointment of Gen. Zia ud Din Butt as one of the political decisions.
With this vast experience at his disposal, it is only natural to think that appointing Army Chiefs is a routine matter for Pakistan’s third time PM: Nawaz Sharif. However historical record shows otherwise. He was at logger heads with his fist appointment, Gen. Asif Nawaz Janjua and when later suddenly died of a heart attack, street rumors continued for months that General Janjua was poisoned and it had something to do with the political tensions with the government. Gen. Waheed Kakar was instrumental in making both President Ghulam Ishaq and PM Nawaz resign in 1993, when both could not resolve their political confrontation and had created an unprecedented standoff between Punjab police and federal force of Rangers. In 1998, Nawaz Sharif unceremoniously sacked Gen. Jehangir Karamat and brought in Gen. Musharraf – 3rd or 4th on seniority list – as his new Chief. Nawaz’s assumption was that a Muhajir from Karachi will be a weak chief in an army dominated by Punjabis. However when after Kargill, Nawaz tried putting all the responsibility upon Gen. Musharaf and tensions developed, army generals stood by a Muhajir Chief even when Nawaz had officially replaced Musharraf with Gen. Zia ud Din Butt. The miscalculation landed Nawaz Sharif in jail and later in a long and lonely exile in Saudi Arabia.
raheel-sharifWith this historical lens, it becomes clear that Gen. Raheel Sharif was his best and safest bet in his entire political career. When Gen. Raheel was appointed, many eye brows were raised and retired and serving officers quietly pointed out that Gen. Raheel was slow in making decisions and that Nawaz Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as Chief Minister Punjab, had struck a good mental equation with Gen. Sharif as Corps Commander. Later critics silently argued that Gen. Sharif had gone out of the way, at least twice, to politically bail out PM Nawaz Sharif; one, during the 2014 dharnas when he was asked by Nawaz Sharif to mediate with protesting opposition on Islamabad’s constitution avenue and he failed to extract any political concessions for the protesting opposition and later when he supported the second Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate Model Town killings of June 2014. The second JIT was a political requirement of Shahbaz Sharif since the report by Lahore High Court Commission of Justice Baqir Najfi (appointed by the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif) had almost indicted the Shahbaz Govt for the killings in Model Town.
It was in this political context that many expected Gen. Raheel Sharif to get an extension. Rumors of either an extension or term increase to four years started to circulate in Islamabad’s political circles in late 2015. By November and December 2015, it was being hotly debated on tv talk shows with all kinds of arguments for and against the general. This soon turned ugly and nasty and personal.
In January 2016, DG ISPR while quoting the army chief ended speculation theories about extension in service of COAS by categorically rejecting reports that the army chief would seek to extend his tenure from three to four years.
It was rare and rather awkward moment for an Army Chief to say: ‘I am not interested.’ Operation Zarb-e-Azb was a natural culmination of Pakistan Army’s continuing institutional strategic struggle against urban and peripheral insurgencies. However, its historical background was often set aside and in popular imagination it was credited mainly to Gen. Sharif who was soon seen as the hero, Pakistan was always looking for in its desperate times. Under Gen. Sharif lead army Pakistan saw increasing stabilization in its northwest, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Baluchistan and Karachi. General’s accountability drive that lead to the sacking of senior officers including a Lt. General lead to hopes that this process will soon extend to Pakistan’s notoriously corrupt political elite and a clean up operation across Punjab. However, no such development took place and ISPR was often blamed by its critics for building a personality cult around General Sharif.raheel
PM Nawaz Sharif is the only person who exactly knows who the next army chief will be, but political and media speculations are continuing for the past several months. As for the seniority list Lt. Gen. Maqsood Ahmed tops the list, which is currently working as Military Adviser UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, New York. But Gen. Maqsood is already on extension and he would not be considered for the post of COAS. The second in line is Lt. Gen Zubair Hayat currently posted as Chief of General Staff. (CGS). He has previously served as Corps. Commander Bahawalpur and Chairman Strategic Planning Division (SPD); when he was brought back from SPD to be the Chief of General Staff then it was speculated that Gen. Raheel has selected him as his successor but now the rumor mill says that Gen. Hayat is likely to be appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee.
Political pundits predict, and there is much consensus on it, that Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, who is Commander II Corps Multan is the most favorite candidate for the COAS post. Army officers consider him to be the most decisive, war hardened general. Other in contest are Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday, Commander XXXI Corps Bahawalpur and Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inspector General Training & Evaluation. Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain Chairman Heavy Industries Taxila and Lt Gen Najibullah Khan DG Joint Staff Headquarters both figure in the seniority list but are not technically qualified to be appointed army chief since they have not commanded a corp.
But all these speculations rest upon Army’s consensus around Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem for being the strong officer. PM Nawaz Sharif on other hand has developed the reputation of appointing either the weakest of the men or utter loyalists. He promised his able lieutenant Sartaj Aziz to make him the President of Pakistan but later retained him in Foreign Office merely as an adviser, his selection of a non-entity, Mamnoon Hussain as President reflected his mind set and exhibited his deep seated fears. Recently the selection of an ailing loyalist, Justice Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui as Sindh Governor in a province that demands a robust role for a governor again reflected his priorities. If Nawaz Sharif ended up appointing Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem as his next Army Chief, then it will only confirm the presence of an institutional pressure. But Nawaz Sharif is continuously defying such institutional pressures; he can still surprise all political pundits by pulling a coup and appointing someone he thinks is either the weakest or the utter loyalist.
ghazi52
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Nawaz, General Raheel shower praise on each other
Farewell banquet
Nawaz says Gen Raheel was an embodiment of sense of duty, dedication and commitment to motherland and belongs to a family known for gallantry, heroism and sacrifice; Gen Raheel thanks PM for ‘kind words and support’; Maryam Nawaz says Gen Raheel is a ‘man of exceptional personal & professional ethos’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the outgoing Army Chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday praised each other and said they successfully dealt with many challenges together facing the nation.
The prime minister gave General Raheel a splendid send-off on completion of his tenure.Nawaz hosted a sumptuous banquet in his honour at the Prime Minister’s House and bid him farewell with the words: “I must acknowledge here with great appreciation that General Raheel Sharif always led from the front.”
The banquet was attended by the top brass, including the four three-star Generals who are contenders for the job, and selected civilian leadership, including some federal ministers and top bureaucrats.and thank General Raheel Sharif for his many years of dedicated, meritorious and exemplary service to Pakistan and its Armed Forces.
“We worked together in addressing a number of security challenges and I am glad to say that Pakistan today is much safer and stronger than 2013,” Nawaz said.He wasn’t a miser with words while praising the services and role of the armed forces in various campaigns by saying: “The Pakistan’s armed forces can surely take pride in the flawless execution of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, which is recognised as the most comprehensive, robust and successful anti-terrorism operation anywhere in the world. It has made the entire world aware of our unflinching resolve and commitment to root out terrorism as we accomplished what countries with far more resources have not been able to achieve in much longer periods.”
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reminded that General Raheel belongs to a family which is second to none when it comes to gallantry and heroism. They have a tradition of serving the nation and laying down their lives in the line of duty.
“The Shahadat and award of Nishan-i-Haider to Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed and Major Shabbir Shareef Shaheed is itself a unique honor for his family,” he continued.He said this sense of duty and unconditional dedication and commitment to our motherland has also been evident in the person and career of Gen Raheel ever since he joined the 54th Long Course in the Pakistan Military Academy.
“His journey from a young, devoted and brilliant cadet officer to the Chief of Army Staff is marked by all the hallmarks of professional distinction and excellence.“As an Adjutant and later Commandant of Pakistan Military Academy and GOC of the 11th Infantry Division, General Raheel Sharif stood out in the discharge of his responsibilities.
His services as Corps Commander Gujranwala and Inspector General for Training and Evaluation in the Pakistan Army prepared him well for responsibilities as the Chief of Army Staff.”
The prime minister recalled that three years earlier this month, General Raheel Sharif was appointed to this position for his outstanding military abilities, his leadership qualities and his integrity.
“It is as Chief of Army Staff that General Raheel made the most difference in the service of our country.”He concluded his brief address with the prayer: “May Allah bless you and your family with lasting happiness and prosperity as we wish you success in all your future endeavors.”
Speaking on the occasion, General Raheel said: “Thank you for your kind words and support. I am grateful.”The evening hosted at the Prime Minister’s House belonged to General Raheel who saluted the premier while sitting in the car and for the first time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was seen saluting his army chief before they separated.
In her tweets, the prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz showered accolades on General Raheel.“I always thought Gen. Raheel was a man of exceptional personal & professional ethos. My interaction with him was always very pleasant. You will always be remembered with great fondness & respect, General Sb. Pakistan is proud of you????History in the making. Good precedent set. Institutions strengthen. A very good omen for Pakistan ????”
Farewell banquet
Nawaz says Gen Raheel was an embodiment of sense of duty, dedication and commitment to motherland and belongs to a family known for gallantry, heroism and sacrifice; Gen Raheel thanks PM for ‘kind words and support’; Maryam Nawaz says Gen Raheel is a ‘man of exceptional personal & professional ethos’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the outgoing Army Chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday praised each other and said they successfully dealt with many challenges together facing the nation.
The prime minister gave General Raheel a splendid send-off on completion of his tenure.Nawaz hosted a sumptuous banquet in his honour at the Prime Minister’s House and bid him farewell with the words: “I must acknowledge here with great appreciation that General Raheel Sharif always led from the front.”
The banquet was attended by the top brass, including the four three-star Generals who are contenders for the job, and selected civilian leadership, including some federal ministers and top bureaucrats.and thank General Raheel Sharif for his many years of dedicated, meritorious and exemplary service to Pakistan and its Armed Forces.
“We worked together in addressing a number of security challenges and I am glad to say that Pakistan today is much safer and stronger than 2013,” Nawaz said.He wasn’t a miser with words while praising the services and role of the armed forces in various campaigns by saying: “The Pakistan’s armed forces can surely take pride in the flawless execution of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, which is recognised as the most comprehensive, robust and successful anti-terrorism operation anywhere in the world. It has made the entire world aware of our unflinching resolve and commitment to root out terrorism as we accomplished what countries with far more resources have not been able to achieve in much longer periods.”
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reminded that General Raheel belongs to a family which is second to none when it comes to gallantry and heroism. They have a tradition of serving the nation and laying down their lives in the line of duty.
“The Shahadat and award of Nishan-i-Haider to Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed and Major Shabbir Shareef Shaheed is itself a unique honor for his family,” he continued.He said this sense of duty and unconditional dedication and commitment to our motherland has also been evident in the person and career of Gen Raheel ever since he joined the 54th Long Course in the Pakistan Military Academy.
“His journey from a young, devoted and brilliant cadet officer to the Chief of Army Staff is marked by all the hallmarks of professional distinction and excellence.“As an Adjutant and later Commandant of Pakistan Military Academy and GOC of the 11th Infantry Division, General Raheel Sharif stood out in the discharge of his responsibilities.
His services as Corps Commander Gujranwala and Inspector General for Training and Evaluation in the Pakistan Army prepared him well for responsibilities as the Chief of Army Staff.”
The prime minister recalled that three years earlier this month, General Raheel Sharif was appointed to this position for his outstanding military abilities, his leadership qualities and his integrity.
“It is as Chief of Army Staff that General Raheel made the most difference in the service of our country.”He concluded his brief address with the prayer: “May Allah bless you and your family with lasting happiness and prosperity as we wish you success in all your future endeavors.”
Speaking on the occasion, General Raheel said: “Thank you for your kind words and support. I am grateful.”The evening hosted at the Prime Minister’s House belonged to General Raheel who saluted the premier while sitting in the car and for the first time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was seen saluting his army chief before they separated.
In her tweets, the prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz showered accolades on General Raheel.“I always thought Gen. Raheel was a man of exceptional personal & professional ethos. My interaction with him was always very pleasant. You will always be remembered with great fondness & respect, General Sb. Pakistan is proud of you????History in the making. Good precedent set. Institutions strengthen. A very good omen for Pakistan ????”
fatman17
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Turkey to give Pakistan 40 modern fighter helicopters worth $2 billion.
Posted By: News Deskon: November 24, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Turkey will give Pakistan forty modern fighter helicopters of worth two billion dollars.
In a tweet message, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country will also provide Pakistan light assault rifles of worth one million dollars.
Don't know how true this news is, after all its our local media.
Posted By: News Deskon: November 24, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Turkey will give Pakistan forty modern fighter helicopters of worth two billion dollars.
In a tweet message, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country will also provide Pakistan light assault rifles of worth one million dollars.
Don't know how true this news is, after all its our local media.
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Pakistan's HIT and Ukrspetsexport sign USD600 million deal
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 November 2016
Ukrspetsexport, Ukraine's state-owned military trading company, has signed an agreement with Pakistan enterprise Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) to collaborate on Pakistan military armour programmes.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement on 23 November that the memorandum of co-operation (MOC), which was signed at the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in Karachi, is valued at USD600 million.
The MoD said, "The agreement is related to tanks, technical service, and maintenance and modernisation. Ukrainian defence industry companies will receive USD600 million."
The MoD added that Pakistan and Ukrainian defence officials also discussed industrial co-operation with focus on the "joint production of tanks and anti-tank missile systems".
Pakistan's HIT and Ukrspetsexport sign USD600 million deal
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
25 November 2016
Ukrspetsexport, Ukraine's state-owned military trading company, has signed an agreement with Pakistan enterprise Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) to collaborate on Pakistan military armour programmes.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement on 23 November that the memorandum of co-operation (MOC), which was signed at the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in Karachi, is valued at USD600 million.
The MoD said, "The agreement is related to tanks, technical service, and maintenance and modernisation. Ukrainian defence industry companies will receive USD600 million."
The MoD added that Pakistan and Ukrainian defence officials also discussed industrial co-operation with focus on the "joint production of tanks and anti-tank missile systems".
fatman17
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Ukraine to provide engines for Pakistan's improved Al Khalid MBT
Farhan Bokhari, Karachi and Gabriel Dominguez, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
24 November 2016
The Pakistani government has signed an agreement with Ukraine for the supply of 200 engines to equip the country's highly anticipated next-generation main battle tank (MBT), which is commonly referred to as the Al Khalid-Improved (I) MBT, according to Pakistani defence officials.
The deal was signed on 23 November during the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), which is held every two years in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.
While the exact type of engine was not revealed, a senior official of Pakistan's Ministry of Defence (MoD) told IHS Jane's that it will be larger than the Ukrainian 6TD-2 engine generating a maximum 1,200 bhp that powers the 420 Al Khalid MBTs operated by the Pakistan Army's Armoured Corps.
Ukraine to provide engines for Pakistan's improved Al Khalid MBT
Farhan Bokhari, Karachi and Gabriel Dominguez, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
24 November 2016
The Pakistani government has signed an agreement with Ukraine for the supply of 200 engines to equip the country's highly anticipated next-generation main battle tank (MBT), which is commonly referred to as the Al Khalid-Improved (I) MBT, according to Pakistani defence officials.
The deal was signed on 23 November during the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), which is held every two years in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.
While the exact type of engine was not revealed, a senior official of Pakistan's Ministry of Defence (MoD) told IHS Jane's that it will be larger than the Ukrainian 6TD-2 engine generating a maximum 1,200 bhp that powers the 420 Al Khalid MBTs operated by the Pakistan Army's Armoured Corps.
fatman17
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General Qamar Javaid Bajwa: Why PM appointed him the COAS?
Posted By: News Deskon: November 27, 2016
ISLAMABAD: General Qamar Javaid Bajwa has been appointed as the 16th Army Chief of the World’s fifth largest Army.
PM Nawaz Sharif appointed the Army chief who was 4th in the seniority list of the Pakistan Army Generals.
What impressed Nawaz Sharif about Gen Bajwa is his ‘apolitical nature’ and crucial role he is thought to have played in supporting the democratic process during the 2014 dharna by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Gen Bajwa was corps commander Rawalpindi at that time, one of the most important corps in the army responsible for security along the entire Line of Control (LoC) as well as strategic installations in and around Islamabad.
The prime minister overlooked Gen Ishfaq Nadim because of his ‘blunt nature’ while Gen Ramday’s appointment might have invited unnecessary controversy given his reported affiliation with a family which was closely linked with the Sharifs.
Posted By: News Deskon: November 27, 2016
ISLAMABAD: General Qamar Javaid Bajwa has been appointed as the 16th Army Chief of the World’s fifth largest Army.
PM Nawaz Sharif appointed the Army chief who was 4th in the seniority list of the Pakistan Army Generals.
What impressed Nawaz Sharif about Gen Bajwa is his ‘apolitical nature’ and crucial role he is thought to have played in supporting the democratic process during the 2014 dharna by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Gen Bajwa was corps commander Rawalpindi at that time, one of the most important corps in the army responsible for security along the entire Line of Control (LoC) as well as strategic installations in and around Islamabad.
The prime minister overlooked Gen Ishfaq Nadim because of his ‘blunt nature’ while Gen Ramday’s appointment might have invited unnecessary controversy given his reported affiliation with a family which was closely linked with the Sharifs.
fatman17
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General Bajwa: Pakistan's new most influential man has two big tasks
By Ahmed Rashid Lahore
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38124046
Read more about sharing.
Image copyright AFP
Image caption Canadian-trained Gen Bajwa has commanded the elite X Corps
The appointment of Pakistan's new army chief, announced on Saturday night by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had been awaited with extraordinary interest and nervousness by politicians and the public alike.
The army is the most powerful institution in the country and its chief is the most influential figure in the country.
Ultimately the appointments of General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief and General Zubair Mahmood Hayat as Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Committee were carried out according to seniority, and with a welcome absence of politicking.
By being the first army chief to step down on schedule in the past two weeks, General Raheel Sharif had in fact set the tone for the smoothest transfer of military power in decades. The reshuffle comes at a sensitive time when Pakistan's relations with India are near an all-time low.
Can the army share power?
Initially at least General Bajwa is likely to pursue the same policies as the retiring General Sharif who had - perhaps more than any of his predecessors - moulded the nine Corps Commanders into a unified and pro-active team in his own image.
Pakistan's army chief is very prominent on social media
Media captionPakistan's retiring army chief has been very popular - including on social media
General Sharif was eulogised and turned into a hero by the Pakistani media for his commitment to attacking terrorism. However it would be more beneficial if the power elite viewed the army's counterterrorism strategy as a long term venture that will occupy several generations of generals, rather than a one-off achievement by a single officer.
Pakistan's most powerful man steps down
General Raheel's offensive against terrorist groups in the northwest tribal areas and Karachi was an extension - albeit a more aggressive improvement - on what his predecessor General Ashfaq Kayani had achieved. Now General Bajwa has to go further and deal with the still strong remnants of terrorist groups.
However his first task must be to develop a more equitable sharing of policy and decision-making with the civilian government, with whom General Sharif was frequently at odds. Infighting between them prompted severe bouts of political and economic instability.
Image copyright AP
Image caption Some Afghan Taliban like these militants have moved into Afghanistan, others remain in Pakistan
At the same time the army's criticism of Nawaz Sharif's failure to provide good governance and deal with corruption had wide public appeal and appeared to be justified. Yet Pakistan cannot stabilise its polity unless a more responsible civilian government is given greater authority over policies the army now believes are its sole prerogative.
Tackling Pakistan's extremists
The army's dominance over foreign policy means General Bajwa will have to deal with the deteriorating state of Pakistan's relations with its neighbours and the region. Two major sets of extremists remain in the country, which negatively affect relations with two neighbours, India and Afghanistan.
The first are the Afghan Taliban and its appendage the Haqqani network whose leaders remain ensconced in Peshawar and Quetta. Afghanistan, the US and Nato, which still has 13,000 troops in Afghanistan, are highly critical of the army's refusal to end this sanctuary.
Image copyright AFP/getty
Image caption Tensions with India are high
Efforts to broker peace talks between the Taliban and the Kabul government last year failed. Since then Islamabad's relations with the Kabul government and even peace-seeking groups within the Taliban have drastically deteriorated.
Pakistan needs to reassess its Afghan policy with the primary aim of winning back the trust of all parties and then allowing a neutral body such as the UN or China to sponsor any future dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban.
However too much of the military's Afghan policy is made through an Indian lens - in the desire to keep Indian influence out of Afghanistan. Unless that changes and Pakistan helps the peace process on its own terms a catastrophic meltdown in Afghanistan would first affect Pakistan.
Image copyright AFP/getty
Image caption India has shelled civilians in Pakistan-administered Kashmir
The second group of militants, such as Lashkar-e-Tayaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, are based in Punjab province and dedicated to attacking India. By their actions they have the capacity to hold Pakistan hostage to Indian military and economic retaliation.
Their role becomes more dangerous due to India's aggressive shelling of civilians in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Delhi's declared support to Baloch separatists.
India's actions have convinced many Pakistanis that it is trying to undermine and surround Pakistan with hostile forces. The two countries need to de-escalate tensions on the border and enter into a long term dialogue between their respective spy agencies on how to curb covert interference in each other's state.
On the Pakistani side a long-term policy reassessment towards India is needed by both the army and the government.
Hopeful signs are that General Bajwa knows the Kashmir conundrum well, having served there many years, and much earlier while on duty with UN troops in the Congo he served alongside a former Indian army chief General Bikram Singh.
By Ahmed Rashid Lahore
- 27 November 2016
- From the section Asia
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38124046
Read more about sharing.
Image caption Canadian-trained Gen Bajwa has commanded the elite X Corps
The appointment of Pakistan's new army chief, announced on Saturday night by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had been awaited with extraordinary interest and nervousness by politicians and the public alike.
The army is the most powerful institution in the country and its chief is the most influential figure in the country.
Ultimately the appointments of General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief and General Zubair Mahmood Hayat as Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Committee were carried out according to seniority, and with a welcome absence of politicking.
By being the first army chief to step down on schedule in the past two weeks, General Raheel Sharif had in fact set the tone for the smoothest transfer of military power in decades. The reshuffle comes at a sensitive time when Pakistan's relations with India are near an all-time low.
Can the army share power?
Initially at least General Bajwa is likely to pursue the same policies as the retiring General Sharif who had - perhaps more than any of his predecessors - moulded the nine Corps Commanders into a unified and pro-active team in his own image.
Pakistan's army chief is very prominent on social media
Media captionPakistan's retiring army chief has been very popular - including on social media
General Sharif was eulogised and turned into a hero by the Pakistani media for his commitment to attacking terrorism. However it would be more beneficial if the power elite viewed the army's counterterrorism strategy as a long term venture that will occupy several generations of generals, rather than a one-off achievement by a single officer.
Pakistan's most powerful man steps down
General Raheel's offensive against terrorist groups in the northwest tribal areas and Karachi was an extension - albeit a more aggressive improvement - on what his predecessor General Ashfaq Kayani had achieved. Now General Bajwa has to go further and deal with the still strong remnants of terrorist groups.
However his first task must be to develop a more equitable sharing of policy and decision-making with the civilian government, with whom General Sharif was frequently at odds. Infighting between them prompted severe bouts of political and economic instability.
Image caption Some Afghan Taliban like these militants have moved into Afghanistan, others remain in Pakistan
At the same time the army's criticism of Nawaz Sharif's failure to provide good governance and deal with corruption had wide public appeal and appeared to be justified. Yet Pakistan cannot stabilise its polity unless a more responsible civilian government is given greater authority over policies the army now believes are its sole prerogative.
Tackling Pakistan's extremists
The army's dominance over foreign policy means General Bajwa will have to deal with the deteriorating state of Pakistan's relations with its neighbours and the region. Two major sets of extremists remain in the country, which negatively affect relations with two neighbours, India and Afghanistan.
The first are the Afghan Taliban and its appendage the Haqqani network whose leaders remain ensconced in Peshawar and Quetta. Afghanistan, the US and Nato, which still has 13,000 troops in Afghanistan, are highly critical of the army's refusal to end this sanctuary.
Image caption Tensions with India are high
Efforts to broker peace talks between the Taliban and the Kabul government last year failed. Since then Islamabad's relations with the Kabul government and even peace-seeking groups within the Taliban have drastically deteriorated.
Pakistan needs to reassess its Afghan policy with the primary aim of winning back the trust of all parties and then allowing a neutral body such as the UN or China to sponsor any future dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban.
However too much of the military's Afghan policy is made through an Indian lens - in the desire to keep Indian influence out of Afghanistan. Unless that changes and Pakistan helps the peace process on its own terms a catastrophic meltdown in Afghanistan would first affect Pakistan.
Image caption India has shelled civilians in Pakistan-administered Kashmir
The second group of militants, such as Lashkar-e-Tayaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, are based in Punjab province and dedicated to attacking India. By their actions they have the capacity to hold Pakistan hostage to Indian military and economic retaliation.
Their role becomes more dangerous due to India's aggressive shelling of civilians in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Delhi's declared support to Baloch separatists.
India's actions have convinced many Pakistanis that it is trying to undermine and surround Pakistan with hostile forces. The two countries need to de-escalate tensions on the border and enter into a long term dialogue between their respective spy agencies on how to curb covert interference in each other's state.
On the Pakistani side a long-term policy reassessment towards India is needed by both the army and the government.
Hopeful signs are that General Bajwa knows the Kashmir conundrum well, having served there many years, and much earlier while on duty with UN troops in the Congo he served alongside a former Indian army chief General Bikram Singh.
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Retirement of four star generals
Home / National / Retirement of four star generals
By Web Desk
November 28, 2016
Latest : National
As Raheel Sharif is all set to pass on baton of command to next army chief on Tuesday after completing three years in office, BBC Urdu sheds light on perks and privileges a four star general may be entitled to after his retirement.
According to the BBC, the former army chief and the chairman joints chiefs of staff committee, both four star generals, are entitled to all the perks and privileges that other senior government functionaries receive after retirement from their respective departments.
The report said generally the retired army chiefs in Pakistan stay away from media and Gen Raheel Sharif too will have to follow the rule that bars retired army chiefs from media interviews and public speeches for two years after their retirement.
Three former or serving army men serve retired four star generals as operator, driver and personal assistant.
Amjad Shoaib, a retired Lt General, says not all the retired army chiefs are provided security for a lifetime. He however, said SSG Commandos, protect the retired generals until a security clearance from intelligence agencies is received.
Like all the senior military and civil officials, a four star generals is also allotted a plot where he can build his house.
Raheel Sharif, however, has already donated his plot for a fund allocated for martyrs of the army, according to the BBC.
After their retirement, army chief and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee are issued officials passports for travelling, a facility that is also availed to prime ministers and other top government functionaries, the BBC report said.
Home / National / Retirement of four star generals
By Web Desk
November 28, 2016
Latest : National
- 0
- 0
As Raheel Sharif is all set to pass on baton of command to next army chief on Tuesday after completing three years in office, BBC Urdu sheds light on perks and privileges a four star general may be entitled to after his retirement.
According to the BBC, the former army chief and the chairman joints chiefs of staff committee, both four star generals, are entitled to all the perks and privileges that other senior government functionaries receive after retirement from their respective departments.
The report said generally the retired army chiefs in Pakistan stay away from media and Gen Raheel Sharif too will have to follow the rule that bars retired army chiefs from media interviews and public speeches for two years after their retirement.
Three former or serving army men serve retired four star generals as operator, driver and personal assistant.
Amjad Shoaib, a retired Lt General, says not all the retired army chiefs are provided security for a lifetime. He however, said SSG Commandos, protect the retired generals until a security clearance from intelligence agencies is received.
Like all the senior military and civil officials, a four star generals is also allotted a plot where he can build his house.
Raheel Sharif, however, has already donated his plot for a fund allocated for martyrs of the army, according to the BBC.
After their retirement, army chief and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee are issued officials passports for travelling, a facility that is also availed to prime ministers and other top government functionaries, the BBC report said.
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Reducing the Swagger and Expectations
by Ejaz Haider
Army chief-designate General Qamar Javed Bajwa has a lot of work to do.
Come Nov. 30, General Raheel Sharif will be a private citizen. That’s how it should be. Once tenure is up, the incumbent must leave. The institution stays.
The day Gen. Sharif hangs up his boots will also be the first day in office for Army chief-designate General Qamar Javed Bajwa. He has his work cut out for him.
Much is being, and will be, written about Sharif’s legacy as Army chief. He was and is generally perceived to be a doer, a go-getter, operationally, though not much of a thinker. Most observers felt that that wasn’t too bad, come as he did after the two tenures of General Ashfaq Kayani, a commander who was known more for doing less in his second tenure to quell terrorism. Staying shy of North Waziristan had almost become a metaphor for Kayani’s lack of action, a charge only partially correct.
In rode Gen. Sharif on Nov. 29, 2013. By June 15, 2014, the Army had launched Operation Zarb-e Azb to clear North Waziristan. The operation, to wit, is not entirely complete if seen from the perspective of the clear, hold, build and transfer phases. The first two phases are almost complete, the third partially done while the fourth hangs in the balance.
The kinetic operation in North Waziristan was complemented with intelligence operations across Pakistan, which netted thousands of suspects. The overall impact is a mixed bag of successes and failures. The enemy, comprising multiple terror groups, has managed to mount several deadly attacks, mostly on soft targets, the massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on Dec. 16, 2015 becoming the worst atrocity on Sharif’s watch.
Corollary: we face the typical balloon effect. Put them down here and they will pop up there.
Counterterrorism is essentially the problem of choosing between action and non-action and also about knowing when to act and how to prepare for the reprisals. From that perspective, Kayani and Sharif were two ends of the pendulum swing. Kayani was Hamlet-like; Sharif was Laertes. One thought too much, the other would much rather bull in and let the chips fall where they might.
This is not to say that Kayani didn’t do anything. In fact, the heaviest kinetic operations were conducted on his first watch: Malakand, Buner, Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, South Waziristan. Additionally, when he took over from general Musharraf, he had to extricate the Army from a lot of mess in which Musharraf had landed it. Kayani restored the Army’s professionalism, did immense work toward training and morale by creating the Army’s counterterrorism centers, improving conditions for the troops, giving them a sense of pride et cetera. He also took personal interest in e-arms development and validation and improved tremendously the operational coordination between the Army and the air force. If he had left after his first tenure, he would have decidedly gone down in Pakistan Army history as one of its best commanders.
But he stayed on and that was a mistake. His second tenure was an exercise in much thinking but little action. Thinking is crucial and Kayani does think deep. But when one is a commander, one can’t afford not to act, especially against odds. Kayani personified Nietzsche’s saying that knowledge kills action.
But Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy quote has a second part too: “… for action requires a state of being in which we are covered with the veil of illusion.”
The describes Sharif, not so much because he was wrong about going into North Waziristan or cracking down on terror cells. That was required; that had long being delayed. But his illusion was about what he could achieve and to employ very smart public relations to signal far and wide that he was the man not just of a moment but of an episode, a legacy.
This is where the ISPR came in. Back in Sept. 2015, I wrote about the Army and Sharif’s new playbook under the caption, A Strategy for a Legacy: “…the man behind this [strategy] is the current No. 1, Raheel Sharif. The strategy is his. The brilliant execution of this strategy is by the operational commander of ISPR, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa.” Bajwa since then has become a lieutenant general, the first time that ISPR has been headed by a 3-star officer, catapulting PR to a higher slot than even the military operations directorate which (unlike India) is headed by a major general.
It’s an old story about the umpire’s finger going up, posters on the wall, social media abuzz with Sharif’s hagiographies and #ThankYouRaheelSharif trending on Twitter. It was all ‘mysterious.’ There was nary a word from the ISPR. If anything, as I wrote in that article, the ISPR loved it. Sharif had grown bigger than the institution itself. Even the mainstream media, especially TV channels, lapped up everything the ISPR dished them. Sharif’s every move was breaking news. Perish the thought that what he did was part of his professional remit. I noticed with a mix of bemusement and consternation that every time I pointed this out on Twitter or TV, I’d be trolled by mysterious bot accounts.
This legacy the new chief will have to undo. As he prepares to grapple with internal and external challenges, and there are many, he will have to temper the expectations with realism. The Army can only do this much and no more. It operates in a context and while it tries to change the context for the better, the context puts its own constraints on even the best and the most well-intentioned.
Firefighting is essentially tactical. The new chief has to go beyond that to the strategic-political level to appreciate the threats and the responses required to tackle them. At that higher level, the military is always just one aspect of a national strategy and that strategy is determined by the governments, not the military and certainly not by the intelligence agencies.
It will not be easy because it will not be sexy. There will not be much swagger in it. The new chief might be tempted to use the now-formidable ISPR machine. A people fed on illusions rarely sit back to reassess that they were running after an apparition. They want to turn the illusion into reality. No one wants to know that terrorism is not about to go away and that it will be a long time, if at all, to go back to the pre-IEDs days. But that’s exactly what the new chief will have to do. He will come across as non-Messianic; some might even call him weak and lacking panache. But by appreciating the situation instead of situating the appreciation, he will serve his office well.
He will also have to extricate the Army from a plethora of jobs it has undertaken. It’s not much fun to lead a fatigued organization. The CT operations in urban centers will have to involve police and other civil law enforcement bodies. The burden must be shared. And contrary to what people think about the police, it has some excellent officers with brilliant experience in planning and executing CT operations.
Finally, while his troops will have to respond to tactical provocations on the borders, it will serve him well to allow the government the space to change the context in which instability breeds. That is the government’s job and the prime minister will have to rise to that challenge.
Haider is editor of national-security affairs at Capital TV. He was a Ford Scholar at the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C. He tweets @ejazhaider
by Ejaz Haider
Army chief-designate General Qamar Javed Bajwa has a lot of work to do.
Come Nov. 30, General Raheel Sharif will be a private citizen. That’s how it should be. Once tenure is up, the incumbent must leave. The institution stays.
The day Gen. Sharif hangs up his boots will also be the first day in office for Army chief-designate General Qamar Javed Bajwa. He has his work cut out for him.
Much is being, and will be, written about Sharif’s legacy as Army chief. He was and is generally perceived to be a doer, a go-getter, operationally, though not much of a thinker. Most observers felt that that wasn’t too bad, come as he did after the two tenures of General Ashfaq Kayani, a commander who was known more for doing less in his second tenure to quell terrorism. Staying shy of North Waziristan had almost become a metaphor for Kayani’s lack of action, a charge only partially correct.
In rode Gen. Sharif on Nov. 29, 2013. By June 15, 2014, the Army had launched Operation Zarb-e Azb to clear North Waziristan. The operation, to wit, is not entirely complete if seen from the perspective of the clear, hold, build and transfer phases. The first two phases are almost complete, the third partially done while the fourth hangs in the balance.
The kinetic operation in North Waziristan was complemented with intelligence operations across Pakistan, which netted thousands of suspects. The overall impact is a mixed bag of successes and failures. The enemy, comprising multiple terror groups, has managed to mount several deadly attacks, mostly on soft targets, the massacre of children at the Army Public School in Peshawar on Dec. 16, 2015 becoming the worst atrocity on Sharif’s watch.
Corollary: we face the typical balloon effect. Put them down here and they will pop up there.
Counterterrorism is essentially the problem of choosing between action and non-action and also about knowing when to act and how to prepare for the reprisals. From that perspective, Kayani and Sharif were two ends of the pendulum swing. Kayani was Hamlet-like; Sharif was Laertes. One thought too much, the other would much rather bull in and let the chips fall where they might.
This is not to say that Kayani didn’t do anything. In fact, the heaviest kinetic operations were conducted on his first watch: Malakand, Buner, Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand, South Waziristan. Additionally, when he took over from general Musharraf, he had to extricate the Army from a lot of mess in which Musharraf had landed it. Kayani restored the Army’s professionalism, did immense work toward training and morale by creating the Army’s counterterrorism centers, improving conditions for the troops, giving them a sense of pride et cetera. He also took personal interest in e-arms development and validation and improved tremendously the operational coordination between the Army and the air force. If he had left after his first tenure, he would have decidedly gone down in Pakistan Army history as one of its best commanders.
But he stayed on and that was a mistake. His second tenure was an exercise in much thinking but little action. Thinking is crucial and Kayani does think deep. But when one is a commander, one can’t afford not to act, especially against odds. Kayani personified Nietzsche’s saying that knowledge kills action.
But Nietzsche’s The Birth of Tragedy quote has a second part too: “… for action requires a state of being in which we are covered with the veil of illusion.”
The describes Sharif, not so much because he was wrong about going into North Waziristan or cracking down on terror cells. That was required; that had long being delayed. But his illusion was about what he could achieve and to employ very smart public relations to signal far and wide that he was the man not just of a moment but of an episode, a legacy.
This is where the ISPR came in. Back in Sept. 2015, I wrote about the Army and Sharif’s new playbook under the caption, A Strategy for a Legacy: “…the man behind this [strategy] is the current No. 1, Raheel Sharif. The strategy is his. The brilliant execution of this strategy is by the operational commander of ISPR, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa.” Bajwa since then has become a lieutenant general, the first time that ISPR has been headed by a 3-star officer, catapulting PR to a higher slot than even the military operations directorate which (unlike India) is headed by a major general.
It’s an old story about the umpire’s finger going up, posters on the wall, social media abuzz with Sharif’s hagiographies and #ThankYouRaheelSharif trending on Twitter. It was all ‘mysterious.’ There was nary a word from the ISPR. If anything, as I wrote in that article, the ISPR loved it. Sharif had grown bigger than the institution itself. Even the mainstream media, especially TV channels, lapped up everything the ISPR dished them. Sharif’s every move was breaking news. Perish the thought that what he did was part of his professional remit. I noticed with a mix of bemusement and consternation that every time I pointed this out on Twitter or TV, I’d be trolled by mysterious bot accounts.
This legacy the new chief will have to undo. As he prepares to grapple with internal and external challenges, and there are many, he will have to temper the expectations with realism. The Army can only do this much and no more. It operates in a context and while it tries to change the context for the better, the context puts its own constraints on even the best and the most well-intentioned.
Firefighting is essentially tactical. The new chief has to go beyond that to the strategic-political level to appreciate the threats and the responses required to tackle them. At that higher level, the military is always just one aspect of a national strategy and that strategy is determined by the governments, not the military and certainly not by the intelligence agencies.
It will not be easy because it will not be sexy. There will not be much swagger in it. The new chief might be tempted to use the now-formidable ISPR machine. A people fed on illusions rarely sit back to reassess that they were running after an apparition. They want to turn the illusion into reality. No one wants to know that terrorism is not about to go away and that it will be a long time, if at all, to go back to the pre-IEDs days. But that’s exactly what the new chief will have to do. He will come across as non-Messianic; some might even call him weak and lacking panache. But by appreciating the situation instead of situating the appreciation, he will serve his office well.
He will also have to extricate the Army from a plethora of jobs it has undertaken. It’s not much fun to lead a fatigued organization. The CT operations in urban centers will have to involve police and other civil law enforcement bodies. The burden must be shared. And contrary to what people think about the police, it has some excellent officers with brilliant experience in planning and executing CT operations.
Finally, while his troops will have to respond to tactical provocations on the borders, it will serve him well to allow the government the space to change the context in which instability breeds. That is the government’s job and the prime minister will have to rise to that challenge.
Haider is editor of national-security affairs at Capital TV. He was a Ford Scholar at the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C. He tweets @ejazhaider
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Pakistan appoints General Qamar Javed Bajwa as new army chief
Farhan Bokhari, Islamabad - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 November 2016
General Qamar Javed Bajwa is to replace General Raheel Sharif as the Pakistan Army's chief of staff when the latter's three-year term expires on 29 November.
Gen Bajwa was appointed on 26th November by Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a smooth change of guard at what some regard as the country's most powerful institution.
The transition will mark the first time in almost 20 years that an army chief's tenure ended without him seeking an extension. The army chief plays a central role in Pakistan's ruling structure, especially in relation to the country's security and foreign policy.
Gen Sharif was widely credited with stepping up the fight against Taliban militants operating from bases in the country's tribal areas alongside the Pakistani-Afghan border.
Pakistan appoints General Qamar Javed Bajwa as new army chief
Farhan Bokhari, Islamabad - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 November 2016
General Qamar Javed Bajwa is to replace General Raheel Sharif as the Pakistan Army's chief of staff when the latter's three-year term expires on 29 November.
Gen Bajwa was appointed on 26th November by Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a smooth change of guard at what some regard as the country's most powerful institution.
The transition will mark the first time in almost 20 years that an army chief's tenure ended without him seeking an extension. The army chief plays a central role in Pakistan's ruling structure, especially in relation to the country's security and foreign policy.
Gen Sharif was widely credited with stepping up the fight against Taliban militants operating from bases in the country's tribal areas alongside the Pakistani-Afghan border.
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