Kayani begins his second term today
Kayani begins his second term today
Sunday, November 28, 2010
By Umar Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani kicks off his second three-year tenure as the army chief today (Sunday).
Kayani is considered thoroughly professional with many good things to his credit like successful operations in tribal area, Swat and steps for de-politicisation of the army-controlled intelligence agencies.
Gen Mirza Aslam Beg, the army chief during Benazirs first government, had neither received an offer nor given extension but was conferred on medal on the grounds that he had done a great favour for protecting democracy instead of usurping power through the force of baton.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had refused any extension to the then army chief General Tikkah Khan, said former ISI DG Lt Gen (R) Hameed Gul.
Tikka was succeeded by Gen Ziaul Haq who in no time had usurped the power, and later hanged Bhutto.
Benazir Bhutto-led PPP offered extension to former COAS General Wahid Kakar who refused the offer.
Kayani, who would have been retired today had he not been given three-year extension, will now pass the baton onto his successor after giving a send-off to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in 2013, record indicates.
His revised retiring date, November 28, 2013, comes only short before the superannuating age of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry who will put off the gown by December 13, 2013.