[Click here for BBC’s article on General Kiyani. No doubt his rise through the ranks has been extraordinary.]
RAWALPINDI: Pervez Musharraf stepped down Wednesday from the Army Chief post handing over the Army command to Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, who took charge as 14th Chief of Pakistan Army. Musharraf to take oath as a civilian president on Thursday.
Musharraf addressed the change of command ceremony held in this garrison town at Hockey Stadium next to the military General Headquarters.
The ceremony was attended by the caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro, the services chiefs, members of the caretaker cabinet and high military and civil officials.
“I’m proud of this army and I was lucky to have commanded the world’s best army,” Musharraf said. “I will no longer command …but my heart and my mind will always be with you.” He said “I am leaving the Army in a best shape.” He said he knows Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani for last 20 years who is an excellent soldier and Army officer. Continue reading ‘The day has finally arrived!’
At least 86 members of Pakistan’s opposition APDM (All Parties Democratic Movement) alliance on Tuesday resigned from the government in an effort to undercut General Pervez Musharraf ahead of Saturday’s presidential elections.
Separately, Gen Musharraf named a successor to take over as chief of the military, in a key change at the top in Pakistan.
General Ashfaq Kiyani, who until last week was the Director General of the Inter Services Intelligence, the powerful counter-intelligence agency, will assume the post of vice chief of army staff on October 8 and will become the military chief when Gen Musharraf steps down, a military statement said.
Gen Musharraf has told the supreme court he will resign by November 15.
The opposition resignations – from the federal and three of the four provincial parliaments – will make no material difference to Gen
Musharraf’s re-election prospects given the majority the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid e Azam (PML-Q) holds.
Continue reading ‘New army chief; opposition MP’s resign; what next?’
Here is a PBS documentary from October 2006. It is called the Return of the Taliban. It is extremely insightful and shows some unseen footage that many of you would not familiar with. Also, it gives a very good idea of what the situation is in the Northern Areas of Pakistan where the tribal leaders are openly supporting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The Pakistani Government doesn’t seem to have much control over there and the religious elements seem to be gaining a lot of momentum.
The Army’s strategy seems to be very confused and it seems like they are unsure whether to take charge and do things their way or do things in order to appease the American government. Either way, so far their policy in those areas has failed and it has earned them nothing but disdain from the locals.
This is a slightly longish documentary, but I can assure you once you start you won’t feel like pausing it for even a second.
The Return of the Taliban
Part 1
Continue reading ‘Return of the Taliban: Taliban in Pakistan - Not looking good!’
As some of you might remember this was big news a couple of years ago when the Slovenian climber Tomaz Humar was stranded on top of Nange Parbat. Two Pakistan pilots carried out a deadly rescue mission to save him. They are now being awarded Slovenia’s top award for bravery. People of such courage who go against all odds to save the life of an unknown foreigner are our real heroes and we should be truly proud that they are one of us.
BBC NEWS, Friday 15 June.
Two Pakistani pilots who carried out a daring rescue of a mountaineer are to be given Slovenia’s top award for bravery, Pakistani officials say.
Slovenian Tomaz Humar got stranded on the western end of the 8,125m Nanga Parbat mountain in the Himalayas two years ago.
He remained for around a week on top of the world’s ninth-highest peak.
The helicopter pilots plucked the 38-year-old from an icy ledge 6,000m up the peak known as “killer mountain”.
Continue reading ‘Pakistan pilots get bravery award’
Well, what can I say? Read it for yourself and decide what you make of it. Utterly shameful!!
A couple of months ago I saw a German movie called ‘Downfall‘. The movie goes on to show Hitler’s last few days as his mood oscillates between unjustified optimism one moment to suicidal depression the next. Reality does finally start to break through and the Fuhrer and the others in the bunker start to make their final personal preparations for the inevitable.
The real question is when will reality finally start to break through to our leaders? At the moment they same to be riding the ‘optimism, arrogance, delusion’ wave. If they go this way for much longer, there will be only one outcome - a continuing downfall leading to destruction.
The following article appeard in The News.
Chief justice spills the beans •He was forced to stay at the Army House for five hours against his will •Refusal to quit angered president who left the room after 30 minutes •PM did not reply to his explanation even by gesture •DG MI, DG ISI continued to press him to call it a day •His car was stripped of both Pakistan flag and emblem •His scared children could not continue their studies
Continue reading ‘Physical and Mental Intimidation By Chief-of-Army Staff of Pakistan’s Chief Justice’
Here is an article by Senator Farhatullah Babar on the involvement of the armed forces in the corporate sector. It gives details of the influence wielded by the armed forces in Pakistan’s corporate sector and the preferential treatment quasi-military institutions get from the government. I had written a satirical piece titled ‘Real Estate 101 for Army Officers’, which was a humourous way of putting what Senator Babar has said in this article. Do have a look at it after you go through this.
By Farhatullah Babar - April 30, 2007 - Appeared in The News
Continue reading ‘The Armed Forces and the Corporate Sector’
Published on May 24, 2007
in Army.
…Atleat that’s what the BBC is saying. This news follows the general trend these days: bad news, bad news, half good news, bad news, very bad news, terrible news, and then worse.
I had recently read about the good work Pakistani peacekeeping troops were doing in Liberia by establishing parks and recreation areas. It made me proud.
Unfortunately, a lot more people will hear about this news and that will further tarnish Pakistan’s image. To be honest, it is an utterly shameful act for a peacekeeping force to sell their guns to the same people they have been sent to protect against. In my mind, by providing weapons they are also a party to any crimes committed by the Congolese militia groups. What an immoral thing to do!
It always made me wonder why we were the largest contributor of troops to the UN. An explanation might be coming through. Maybe it is an army policy - the greatest good for the greatest number of people. While the big guns plunder internally, why not let the troops make some money as well?
Continue reading ‘Pakistan’s Peacekeeping troops in Congo ‘traded gold for guns’’
Published on April 30, 2007
in Army and Islam.
Some of you may have already watched this documentary aired on Channal 4 on 23rd April. It is by author and journalist Ziauddin Sardar who travels back to his homeland, Pakistan, to discover how it has become enguled in a bitter conflict between the two dominant forces in the country - the military and the mullahs.
I just saw it online and and found it very interesting. It is longish at almost 50 minutes so watch it when you have the time. Highly recommended!
Also, BBC’s Panorama claims that Bob Woolmer was poisoned before he was strangled. Panorama on Woolmer’s death would be aired today at 20:30 BST on BBC One and repeated on BBC News 24 Mondays at 00:30 BST and Tuesdays at 03:30 BST. So for all those who have access to BBC, do check it out. Otherwise, it should be up on their website by tonight.
Watch Between the Mullahs and the Military below
Continue reading ‘Documentary: Between the Mullahs and Military’
This is an ongoing debate. Could it be true this time around? I really doubt we’ll be seeing him take off his uniform anytime soon. The report says he will appoint a reliable and trustworthy general as COAS. Can anyone really be trusted with power? There is no limit to a man’s desire for power and if Musharraf really wants to mantain control he’d be foolish to hand it over to someone else. And he’s not foolish.
WASHINGTON - US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns has revealed that President General Pervez Musharraf has given assurance to leave the office of the Chief of the Army Staff before the elections.
He also expressed hope that he (Musharraf) would keep his words and doff the uniform before elections. He said that the United States would continue to play its role for bringing real democracy in Pakistan.
The political and diplomatic circles in Washington are attaching great importance to Nicholas Burns’ statement.
A diplomatic source told The Nation that Nicholas Burns statement would have significant impact on the politics in Pakistan, saying that Musharraf was planning to appoint a reliable and trustworthy general as COAS, and become president for the next five years. A reliable source, on condition of anonymity, said that Burns’ statement was of extraordinary importance.
Continue reading ‘Musharraf to doff uniform before polls, says Burns, The Nation’
Published on January 17, 2007
in Army.
Interesting to compare the two oaths. More importantly the fact that there is a SPECIFIC mention of ‘political activity’ in the Pakistani oath while on the other hand all that US Armed Forces are asked to state is that they will ’support and defend’ the Constitution. Oh, and the Pakistani oath has been translated from Urdu into English so don’t think that just cause English is the American language they understand it better. It has nothing to do with comprehension. I guess for us oaths and promises are just things that we would like to get out of the way to carry on with what we want to do never to think of them again.
Oath taken by the Pakistan Armed Forces
“I, (NAME), with a sincere heart and God as my witness do solemnly swear that I will be faithful to the State of Pakistan and protect the constitution of Pakistan, which reflects the wishes of the people of Pakistan. Further, I will not indulge in any political activity and will perform my duties in the armed forces with full faith and honesty. I will go where and howsoever I am ordered to by land, air or sea and that I will obey all lawful orders given to me by my superiors without regard to any dangers and threats to my personal safety. May God be my protector and witness. Amen”
Oath taken by the U.S Armed Forces
Continue reading ‘Irony’
