General Pervez Musharraf, PakistanÂ’s president, appointed a new spy chief and made a number of other key military appointments on Friday in a move apparently aimed at retaining influence even after he steps down as head of the army. This yearÂ’s round of promotions has been keenly anticipated as Mr Musharraf is going through his weakest phase since coming to power in a coup eight years ago.
A nine-member panel of supreme court judges is reviewing six petitions seeking the disqualification of the US-backed general from contesting the presidential election on grounds including his dual position as head of the army and ruler of Pakistan, and the legality of being elected in uniform.
A senior ruling party official said this week that Mr Musharraf would retire as army chief by mid-November irrespective of the outcome of his quest for re-election as president. “General Musharraf is obviously trying to consolidate his position within the military,” said Abida Hussain, a leader of the opposition Pakistan People’s party and former ambassador to the US.
Major Gen Nadeem Taj was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed head of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Gen Taj served as Mr MusharrafÂ’s military secretary at the time of the coup that brought him to power in October 1999.
| Congratulations on your new position, President-Elect Taj. |
| Kiyani may be thinking that he'll be the next strong man, but I'd always put my money on the ISI guy. |
Lt Gen (retired) Talat Masood, a former military commander and respected analyst said the two officers [Gen Kiyani and Gen Majeed] were reputed to be pro-western who would continue to support “Pakistan’s contribution to the war on terror”.
Analysts said, the new commanders would immediately face the challenge of lifting morale among troops especially with continuing controversy surrounding last monthÂ’s kidnapping of 240 soldiers by Taliban militants in the region bordering Afghanistan. Efforts for getting them released peacefully so far appear to have failed.
The military is likely to wield considerable authority from behind the scenes even after Gen MusharrafÂ’s retirement formally brings an end to the militaryÂ’s eight-year dominance of Pakistani politics.
This week Don McKinnon, secretary-general of the Commonwealth, during a visit to Pakistan warned that the long shadow of the military may remain cast over the country for up to a decade even after Gen Musharraf steps down, ending his dual position as military chief and the president.