According to a report published in BBCUrdu, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif wants to promote five major generals to the position of lieutenant generals before naming a new ISI director general.
It is believed the promotions will precede the naming of the successor to DG ISI Zaheerul Islam, so as to allow one of the promoted generals to be in the pool of those to be considered for the top intelligence slot.
Five senior generals, including Islam, will retire in the first week of October. They are Mangla Corps Commander Lieutenant General Tariq Khan, Gujranwala Corps Commander Lieutenant General Saleem Nawaz, Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani and Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant General Sajjad Ghani.
While all the positions of the retiring officers hold prime importance, the retirement of the ISI chief is seen as the most crucial development.
The post of ISI chief is the second most important after that of the army chief. Further, the ISI chief is appointed by the prime minister on the recommendation of the army chief.
Close aides of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claim that the premier and the army chief have not discussed this matter as yet. However, the report added that General Raheel is expected to meet the premier before appointing the five lieutenant generals.
According to the report, the prime minister has considered the names of some officers for the post of ISI chief, including Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Zaman and National Defence University Dean General Javed Iqbal Ramday.
On the other hand, the military is considering Major General Nazeer Butt and Major General Rizwan Akhtar for the top slot.
The retirement of the DG ISI would no doubt test the skills of the prime minister who has the authority to appoint the spy chief, although it appears difficult to believe the federal government would take a decision without the army chief’s consent.
Meanwhile, the retirement of four corps commanders will provide an opportunity to General Raheel to appoint generals of his own choice on key slots. All the four corps commanders who will retire in October were promoted and appointed by the then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
The change in the top military brass comes at a time when the army has constantly been accused of involvement in the current political crisis as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek continue their sit-ins in Islamabad seeking to overthrow the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.
Owing to this, the appointments although do not appear suspect, are drawing much attention.
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@Pakistani: NS has latent reserves of wisdom and guts and he is likely to bounce back and disappoint his opponents. Just watch. Should NS be thrown out, there is no prospect of proper civil-military relations.
All who have completed their regular service must Leave now and peoples/generals from waiting list be picked and given a chance ALL OUR GENERALS are GREAT and LOVE Pakistan
@Civilian Government: NS should show guts in governance where it matters. Then again, one is asking for the moon!
Go Nawaz Go
@Moiz Omar: friend of your old man eh.., now that's a qualification too high to beat achieve.
Within the army circles it is an open debate these days that Nawaz Sharif will try to appoint his own man by taking the parliament on his side. He is expected to tell parliamentary leaders that under democracy it is only upto the PM to decide who the next Spy Chief is to be and not up to the COAS!!!!
The young officers soon to be proamoted would now have time to chart out a national strategic doctrine that, at present, is either ephemeral, missing, underdeveloped or secret. From what is known, those who have been at the helm have a policy of over-reliance on the nuclear deterrent. However, to my knowledge, no strategy exists to respond to a possible walkout by India of the Indus Basin Treaty and its consequent denial of Pakistan's due share of water according to that Treaty. I hope this never becomes a reality as Nawaz warms up to India. But a contingency strategy must be in place if, God forbid, that happens. This might be an unlikely scenario but Vajpayee did threaten to do exactly that when India and Pakistan were eye-ball-to-eye-ball during the 2002 military standoff.
every general is made of same mettle. no difference whatsoever.
Time for more professionally inclined young officers to guide Pakistan's military, not domestic political strategy.
Let Nawaz rule in the best interests of the country, period.
Some jerks want to destabilize the Constitutional Government. They have a personal agenda that goes against the best national interests.
@Blithe: Thanks for a very informative read reference.
Civilian government must wield ultimate power not the Army. Only NS has the guts to correct the imbalance.
@Uza Syed: Biased, period.
how will this change affect the political climate in Islamabad - i.e the Immie K and Tahiri gang - I wonder
Let this man, General Zaheer Ul Islam, continue as head of ISI, it is best for the prevailing circumstances.
I, as a citizen, would like to push forth the name of General GoNawazGo as DG ISI.
BBC steps out of line by such speculation on internal functioning of another country. It is out of habit than any resolve It should now concentrate on the tiny part of the Island called England after Scotland gives them the boot.
My understanding is that Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua, HI(M) Commander, XII Corps, Quetta will be appointed the DG.
I hope it is Lt. General Naweed Zaman. He is an old friend of my father.
Nawaz Sharif threw his extention tequest in the dustbin
http://www.asianage.com/international/nawaz-sharif-weathers-storm-just-about-967