So finally, General Pervez Musharraf would become Mr. Pervez Musharraf on Thursday when he will be sworned in as a civilian president at the Aiwan-i-Sadr, Islamabad (13th president of Pakistan). Gen. Musharraf will retire after occupying Chief of the Army Staff post for more than nine years. Given a choice, I am sure he would have loved to continue for another 5-10 years and beat the record set by late Gen. Zia. But anyways, Musharraf paid farewell visits to Joint Staff, Air and Naval headquarters today where he met senior military officials one last time as COAS. Former DG ISI, Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani will take over as new Chief of the Army Staff from Thursday. ATP readers who wish to know more about Gen. Kayani may find this bbc article very interesting.
Musharraf is taking his uniform off at a time when he has become highly unpopular, country is under unnecessary Martial Law, judiciary has been completely destroyed, lawyers and civil society are on the streets protesting against him, media is under severe curbs and he hardly has any friends left anywhere. It would be interesting to see how Gen. Musharraf survives in future as a civilian president.
He would require endorsement of PCO and all his actions since November 3 from newly elected assembly, if elections are held, which will be an uphill task and I really don’t see HOW it will happen unless Q-League wins again.
But then again, anything is possible in Pakistan. Who knows, Q-League wins with a heavy mandate this time after brilliant performance of 5 years in power.
According to Daily Times:
President General Pervez Musharraf would take oath as civilian president at 11am on Thursday, but before this he would relinquish charge of chief of army staff (COAS) to start his second term as president of Pakistan.
“Yes, he is going to take oath at 11am on Thursday,” Musharraf’s spokesman Maj Gen (r) Rashid Qureshi told Daily Times on Monday. He also confirmed that the Ministry of Defence had issued a notification of his retirement as army chief after being in office for nine years.
Farewell: Defence Ministry sources said Musharraf would start holding farewell meetings today (Tuesday) – a clear indication that he had decided to call it a day. “Musharraf will meet top military commanders, principal staff officers and senior colleagues,” defence sources said. The formal handing over of charge to his successor is also part of the farewell proceedings, they added. The sources said Musharraf was fulfilling the promise he made to the nation and the Supreme Court of vacating the army post before taking oath as president. Preparations for the ceremony to mark the change of army command are underway, and a formal ceremony will take place at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, defence sources said.
After the completion of the ceremony, the Defence Ministry will announce the appointment of the new chief of army staff, sources said. A special meeting of corps commanders is expected before the handing over ceremony, they added.
Born in 1943 in New Delhi, Musharraf enrolled in the Kakul Military Academy in 1961. He was commissioned in the Artillery Regiment in 1964. Former premier Nawaz Sharif appointed him as the country’s 13th army chief on October 8, 1998. On October 12, 1999, he ousted Sharif in a bloodless coup and bundled him off to Saudi Arabia on December 10, 2000. On October 7, 2001, Musharraf extended his military term, which is supposed to be a three-year tenure post, for an unspecified period. After the late General Ziaul Haq, who was army chief for more than 12 years from April 1, 1976 to August 17, 1988, Musharraf’s tenure as army chief has been the longest. Last week, the new SC judges validated Musharraf’s victory in an October 6 presidential election, clearing the way for him to serve a further five years in office.
Army security, staff to stay: Sources said President Musharraf’s security would remain entrusted to the army, even after taking oath as a civilian president. A special contingent of Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group, headed by a brigadier, has been tasked with ensuring Musharraf’s security. General Musharraf has also decided to retain his current military staff after resigning as army chief, it was learnt. This includes a full time military secretary, deputy military secretary and deputy chief of staff.
It is too early and premature to say what legacy Gen. Musharraf is leaving as COAS and how he will be remembered. Only time will tell. After all, he is still going to rule us for another 5 years (atleast he thinks that way). So what if he is wearing a suit this time. But lets just hope that Gen. Kayani stays away from politics and takes serious steps to improve the deteriorating image of Pakistan Army.
Many times Army has interfered in the state matters because they were asked by the politicians of opposition parties or people of Pakistan indirectly ask for it.
Now Army Generals are Pakistani Citizens , Well educated , well mannered , fought wars to defend Pakistan.Historically during their times Pakistan made money all other times Pakistan lost money. I am not saying Pakistan Army should interfere without any reasons. Like I said Pakistan has not produced credible Politicians this is not fault of Army. Army has only saved Pakistan and politicians came to take Pakistan backward in past. Hopefully future will be better.
Allah Bless Pakistan Army and Pakistan.
Keep eyes and ears open enemy is inside Pakistan and enemy is online every where. Even here , Nuclear powers do not fight wars with rockets and bombs , they are fought with espionage and manipulations. Enemy is doing exactly this to take Pakistan back. Watch out.
Allah bless Pakistan
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Munir Malik’s interview with Dawn news. Look at his condition:
here
With all major political parties in line to take part in forth coming generali elections, Pakistan is getting ready for another military take over in next five to seven years. Pakistan’s political history is replete with such arrangements of political transformation from military to civilian dispensation only to save military’s ugly face and makes things so unworkable for civilian dispensation that military have to take things in their hands only to safeguard national interests.
Pakistan’s army or to be more precise its elites are the most loyal servants of the USA. Peep into history and you will find that whenever the USA wanted an unflinching cooperation from Pakistan there happened to be a military general imposing marshal law on the land of pure. In late 1970s the US wanted to have plaint government in the wake of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan and we had Amir-ul-Monineen General Zia-ul-Haq imposing martial law and toeing the American line, making mockery of constitution of Pakistan and leaving behind nation of drug addicts, loads of ammunition in private hands and society divided on ethnic and sectarian lines.
Then comes 1999 and the US wanted a cooperative and friendly Pakistan so that they can take their revenge on war torn Afghanistan’s Taliban and their Osama Bin Laden. The result was an obvious one, military take over and the US has been granted full excess to use land of pure to strike their enemies in Afghanistan. Here I am not putting ideas in your mind to suggest that all military take-overs in Pakistan are the US sponsored but I believe that readers are better judge to make their own mind.
Since the inception of Pakistan military take over in Pakistan and American global agenda go hand in hand. Obviously this courtship is not a futile exercise. It brings forth billions of dollars that go straight in to military coffers and no bloody civilian representative not even their own chaudaries or somoros etc can dare ask the whereabouts of these billions of dollars.
What will follow now? Political parties will take part in generali elections. With careful electoral engineerings we are in for split mandate with no party having decisive majority to form government. For the survival of national assembly, members of legislative assemble will be asked to pass a constitutional amendment to give legality to November 3, 2007 martial law. Every future government will be working under 58(2)b hanging over its head like a sword of Damocles. The most pleasing thing for military is that they do not have to search for the likes of Shoaukat Aziz but the embodiment of political Islam Maulana Fazlul Rehman, our champion of democracy Benazir Bhutto and our man of the heaviest of mandates Nawaz Sharif with be at their service and they will do whatever they are employed for. These faces will give validity to present day dispensation. And if in the future owing to the USA’s global agenda there emerges a situation where there is possibility of making big bucks military junta will destroy their own hand made puppets and become sole rulers of the land of pure.
With every thing falling apart around them it has been very stressful time for civil society and human rights activists in Pakistan. Media have been gagged and plaint judiciary is in place. Those judges who refused to sell their soul have been put under house arrest. Their misplaced confidence in so called democratic parties has proved one thing that when you are fighting for lofty goals this is a cardinal mistake to bring personalities before your principles. People who enthuse crowds with their fiery oratory are now source of bewilderment and desperation. It is shameful to see Barrister Atizaz Ahsan submitting his nomination papers (which I call kaagzatey haramzadgy). Now I wonder how a person who can not stand against the leader of his own party can be entrusted to lead people in their fight against military establishment.
One last thought who owns Pakistan? If it is owned by people of Pakistan then who owns military institutions in Pakistan? Looking at present factual realities it is obvious that military institutions in Pakistan own Pakistan and the logical conclusion that follows makes a very disturbing reading army in Pakistan is army of General Musharif and it should not be misunderstood as Pakistan Army.
This is a positive development and we are a step closer to civilian rule - hopefully. Yes, the last few weeks have been terrible but why can’t we see something good - It was important that the army chief must not be the President, and we are there.
Please also remember that Musharraf will not be all that powerful. Public pressure has played a huge role but there is a voluntary act here as well. Ayub Khan had to leave and Gen Zia had to be killed to move them away from the uniform.
Most of the comments here are extremely negative and cynical - most nations pass through these stages of turbulence before coming into their own.. We are a relatively young country with great potential and we must not let the gloom and doom become the central theme of our worldview.
This year has been a turning point - our citizens especially the middle classes have woken up from long spate of inertia and there is now a consensus across the country that absolute rule is NOT acceptable.
This is why, during a martial law the exiled politicians are back and the army chief has relinquished his post!!
Watan Aziz - Maybe the analogy shouldn’t be with Roman Generals, but more like the lyrics of ‘The Who - Won’t get fooled again!’ track.
“Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss, But Let’s Not Get Fooled Again”
Nice pictures of both of them on this article.
I think one more blunder and Musharraf would be history.
His power is now half and lets see till when he can survive now.