Pakistan

WikiLeaks: Kayani is no Musharraf

WikiLeaks quotes head of French Interagency as saying Kayani is staying behind the scenes in Pakistan.

Express November 30, 2010

WikiLeaks has quoted the head of the French Interagency on Afghanistan-Pakistan cell, Jasmine Zerinini as saying that Army Chief General Kayani has learnt his lesson from Musharraf and is staying behind the scenes in Pakistan.

Zernini also told a US diplomat that General Kayani is manipulating the government and parliament into preventing change on Pakistan's policy in the tribal belt. She added that Kayani also had a role in stirring up controversy regarding the Kerry-Lugar bill - that ties continued US aid to increased civilian control of the military.

Zerinini also argued that the West had missed its opportunity to push the Pakistani military to crush the Afghan Taliban taking refuge in Pakistan.

Citing Jalaluddin Haqqani as an example, Zerinini said in 2004 he had a standing as a leader among the militants, but did not have the organisation to represent a significant military threat. However, since then, large amounts of funding, predominately from Gulf donors, have allowed Haqqani to create a network that would be difficult for the Pakistani military to defeat.

COMMENTS (42)

hussain mehmud | 13 years ago | Reply The slave mentality of some Pakistani accepting Musharaf instead of cursing him for taking Pakistan 30-40 years back..not allowing democracy to flourish.

Mohammed Moinuddin | 13 years ago | Reply Wikileaks and Pakistan the story is not new.it is already old story and most of us are familiar with Pakistan Political/Army/Judiciary system. In Pakistan system runs for the last 40 to 50 years as under: The real PARLIAMENT is GHQ and Commander-in-Chief is the Super President/Prime Minister: Corp Commanders meeting is usually equal to Cabinet meeting(Army does not regard the elected representatives as the real Cabinet-BRAVO and Zindabad). The Super President/Prime Prime Minister(the Army Chief)in turn come under the command of USA and have to carry out all the dirty work of his masters and this is happening since last 40 to 50 years.Now it is still going on the Pak Army do not have any power to stop the drone attacks and they thinks that it is the jobs of their sub-ordinates ie Civilian Goverment to do it.To whom they are fooling?their own People?laughable Zardri was right to complain to their MASTERS that Army is trying to get rid of him(or kill him)and there is a proof behind it to suspect because Army hanged the most popular leader Pakistan ever produced ie Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto and also the people generally believe that Army also have hand in elimianting his sons Murtza and Shanawaz and latter Benazir Bhutto and also another free-dom fighter and the Pkistan's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan and Nawab Bughti(I think at one stage he was a Defence Mimister during Feroz Khan Noon Cabinet when our first super President Ayub khan conqured the Quaid's and people's Pakistan but not KASHMIR) So in the end wkileaks done a good job to expose every one(as far as Pakistan is concerned).Therefore the wikilileaks man should be given the highest award by the people of Pakistan

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raja | 13 years ago | Reply US said that these information leaks occures because they changed their computers in 2004 and 2005. Now the question is that the US agencies and Defense institutions are so weak that they did not change their computers safely?

Neha | 13 years ago | Reply This is no secret that military is controlling everything in Pakistan and looking at the Govt, we can't really blame them. However what was heart breaking is the revelation that they were also sharing all details with American ambassador just like our present Govt like she is some viceroy or something. So who is controlling Pakistan? Army? Arabs or America? It's America all the way. More power to wikileaks!

Maulana Halwa | 13 years ago | Reply @ Ashok Sai I agree with what you are saying, but I think the subject of concern to us is the Quality of Leadership we have/had in Pakistan more so then Military vs civilian ruler. If the Armed forces have good people and come to power through democratic channel we would. Be more than happy to have him as our leader. Pakistan is yet to produce an honest and strong leader from its people. In the last 60 yrs it always been from the same circle or class of people who have totally disregarded the real and the down trod den. Time to look outside the. Box has come.

ashok sai | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Brothers, Handing the power to the military is not the solution, whoever comes to the power from military dont recognize civilian's basic needs, because they are not contesting the elections and so not facing the people on their straight face. Military rule, generally dont have to show their account to ordinary people. You the Pakistan people have every right in the world to choose your leader. So, dont be under the impression military rule will solve all your problem, its an illusion. The leader has to come from the Pakistani streets, not from anyware. Regards

MBilal | 13 years ago | Reply May Allah send his special blessings to rescue Pakistan. Mr. Kayani is absolutley right in being behind the curtain, but then you need to understand that who else will get us out of this doldrums position. We have seen PPP and in next elction we would surely be viewing PML. Neither of the both are capable of give Pakistan a U turn. Oh Allah pls. help us!!

R.Raheem | 13 years ago | Reply Whoever is the PM or President power rests with COAS! Pak Army Zindabad, Kashmir Zindabad.

Salim | 13 years ago | Reply COAS is running the country from behind the scenes and the Tigers of Raiwind dare not say or do anything.

Sheikh Sarmad | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is a mess because of military control on politics....See the result of their mujahideen policy for Kashmir, we didn't liberate an inch from india but lost half of KP province to mujahideen/Taliban,

Sheikh Sarmad | 13 years ago | Reply Saudis are using wahabism as a cover to protect monarchy and riches distributed only in one family.

khurram kaleem | 13 years ago | Reply wiki leaks is 100percent genuine. please go read the classified information of 200k pages only 10percent of the info release is about pakistan.so ppl saying its a conspiracy pls investigate No one can cook so many documents from 44 US embassy,Its a genuine leak

marker | 13 years ago | Reply How many people have een killed in pakistan under democracy? and how many killed under military rule? Democracy has created lot of problem in pakistan because it support corrupts.Unless and untill you dismentle Jageerdari, and sardari and wadaira shahi nizaam you can not do anything. The people in power under democracy are all jageerdars, wadarays, and sardars..poor or middle class can not survive in politics, they killed all those who try to come in politics. All educated class of students leaders were never given any position. All students leaders were suppressed by so called democratic leaders in Pakistan. Today Ruaidad Khan comes on talk shows he was commisionerof karachi he has done lot of harm to karachi and he looted kaachi, today he appears as a sharif aadmi. Shaikh Rasheed was the only student leader from middle class who is still in politics but they make fun of him. We need to pay attention what shaikh sahib is saying. My hat off to Shaikh Rasheed.

khalid.aziz | 13 years ago | Reply We are subjects of our own kings- Kayanis, Zias, Ayubs and our kings have great brotherly relations with all other kings in Saudia, UAE etc. All of them keep on playing their games to maintain the status quo. No surprises :)

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Saudi Arabian ambassador boasting about Saudi influence in Pakistan: . "We in Saudi Arabia are not observers in Pakistan, we are participants." . http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/130876

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Apparently the Saudis were providing money to Nawaz Sharif during the long march: "He also urged that we contact the UAE to pressure Zardari and the Saudis to pressure Nawaz to back off. ANP had seen PML-N members distributing cash envelopes to a stream of supporters this week; like Zardari, ...Asfundyar said he believed the money was coming from the Saudis." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/196412 More foreign interference? It is clear that UAE supports PPP and Musharaf while Saudi Arabia supports Nawaz Sharif. These countries should stop interfering in our affairs and concentrate on cutting off funding from the Gulf to militant groups.

Masroor | 13 years ago | Reply Blaiming others for the situation is useless, peoples of Pakistan are trapped into news and views from every where, they are under loads and loads of preasure to survive from the current situation, they cannot do any thing, most importantly they have first to safe guard there families, which is not possible under the current cicumstaces, every one is saving his own due to rapid increase in prices..........how can they take interest in such type of issues, only peoples can bring change into any country like Pakistan, where there is not a single leader to trust and follow, whether it is sports, business, show biz -----every where corruption is at its peak......only a revulation can change situation in Pakistan......like done in Iran by Khumaini than I am sure there will be peace every where, and most importantly for the country like Pakistan which is full of resources will be on a track of brink.....for example THAR coal reserves which are enough for 100 years electricity production with 75% less rate as charging current.

Shaukat | 13 years ago | Reply We should identify ourself as Pakistani. Local and original. We are proud to be Muslims but are not subjects of Saudi king. We should identify ourself as Pakistani. Local and original. We are proud to be Muslims but are not subjects of Saudi king. Saudis are friends to both USA, China and India. They give us their oil money and treat as a colony. Let us redeem ourselves more as Pakistani than being Muslims and servants of Saudi please. Lest we will keep getting this bad culture and bad name in the world. Saudi should neither be player and nor be an influence in our state of affairs. We are better than Saudis. When you go there to work, they treat you badly as if we are lower in status. It doesn’t matter that once they were able to come here and defeat us in earlier centuries. The fact is we are better than them today in our rich landscape, culture and abilities.

Shaukat | 13 years ago | Reply We should identify ourself as Pakistani. Local and original. We are proud to be Muslims but are not subjects of Saudi king. Saudis are friends to both USA, China and India. They give us their oil money and treat as a colony. Let us redeem ourselves more as Pakistani than being Muslims and servants of Saudi please. Lest we will keep getting this bad culture and bad name in the world. Saudi should neither be player and nor be an influence in our state of affairs. We are better than Saudis. When you go there to work, they treat you badly as if we are lower in status. It doesn't matter that once they were able to come here and defeat us in earlier centuries. The fact is we are better than them today in our rich landscape, culture and abilities.

Hassan Bokhari | 13 years ago | Reply Shameful for our country if true..... very shameful indeed. He should know that it is up to the people to decide not the army....

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Apparently Kayani considered replacing Zardari with Asfandyar Wali in 2009, but in the end decided not to: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40439751/ns/world

ahmed amir uddin | 13 years ago | Reply Difference b/w musharraf and Kiyani. Musharraf is heroic Kiyani is non heroic he dont come infront of nation. while musharraf "sab se pehlay pakistan" geo musharraf and kiyani

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Gulf donors funding militants in Pakistan - we should nuke them and see what they can fund afterward...

M FARHAN SHAIKH | 13 years ago | Reply

    **100% YES  wikileaks against pakistan & all muslim & muslim contry  is just drama.
  Musharraf need to come back and take charge.**strong text****

shan baloch | 13 years ago | Reply he is only what we have at this time ..

Syed A. Mateen | 13 years ago | Reply General Kiyan is a man of extra ordinary capabilities. He is the main man to ensure that democarcy should flourish in the country.

zeeshan | 13 years ago | Reply UAE leaders comments are appreciable regarding Nawaz and Zardari

R S JOHAR | 13 years ago | Reply Remarks made about Gen Kayani are quite true and undoubtedly he is the most powerful man in Pakistan. He is having the best of both worlds of being the Army Chief as well as controlling the govt through remote control with no accountibility in the latter case. The General is well known to be in full control of country's defence and foreign policies and even interfering in interior ministry and states giving his sermons to them from time to time. The above does not auger well with the democratic govt who is a mere puppet in the hands of Army who ever remains powerful and had been ruling the country for almost half of the period since its independence. However, it so appears that the ruling party and opposition are not pertubed with this arrangement as long as the General does not takeover and allow them to rule or misrule this country. The General as per assessment of most political and military analysts is doing a great disservice to Pakistan. He is not allowing co-operation between India and Pakistan including settlement of Kashmir issue. Recent stalemate in talks between two FM's is the testamony to this statement as miltants are continued to be pushed across the LOC without any let up despite several assurances made by the Pak govt and continuation of terrorists terrorists training camps in Pakistan which remains a major hurdle in resuming peace talks by India, a doctorine which India feels is being adopted at the behest of Pak Army. As such friendship between the two neighbouring countries doesn't suit Pak army's agenda of ruling the country by proxy or otherwise and making millions through military aid recieved since there is no accountibility of money spent on arms to civil govt. However the worst part of the Army Chief is in considering Afghan Taleban as strategic assets which most political pundits feel ultmately will result in strategic death for the country. Also allowing Pak Taleban the safe passage of NW with its eighty percent infrastructure still intact and its refusal to take action against Panjab terror organisations. No wonder the terrorists strike at will in any part of the country due to this dual policy adopted by the army who continued to consider some of them as assets, jeopardising lives of innocent civilians.

khurram sahazad | 13 years ago | Reply Every country follow their foreign policy to safeguard their interests.Sending such news to media is to poison the people about some personality. at least some one their to look after our interestd,becuse the most effected nation will be Pakistani if in case of any unrest in Afghanistan.

Arslan | 13 years ago | Reply i think if a country is ri8 so there is no need to be afaid of... and if a country is little bit of know how of the leaks if wikileaks news so its depends upon his attitude about that matter. My point of view about wikileaks against pakistan is just drama, drama and just drama. They do not want pakistan stable.

marker | 13 years ago | Reply Saudi need to stop playing with the sentiments of poor Muslims countries. They have human rights violations in their saudi arabia.

marker | 13 years ago | Reply PPPis a big security threat for pakistan. Nawaz is a bigger threat. Musharraf need to come back and take charge.

Muhammad Imran | 13 years ago | Reply I feel USA himself did all this to create disturbance especially in Muslim Countries. There is no important news about USA. So its just nothing but a try to unsettle Muslim world.

Ronit | 13 years ago | Reply saudi funding for terrorism is a danger not just for us but you too

Agnostic Muslim | 13 years ago | Reply When the PPP cannot even provide governance and security in an area cleared by the military months ago (Swat), how exactly is it going to implement political reforms in the more unstable FATA? Trying to blame Kiyani for preventing 'change in FATA' is ignoring the PPP-ANP's ineptitude and inefficiency in accomplishing far easier tasks, which is likely the reason why their recomendations on FATA are yet to be implemented. Can the GoP first show us whether it can enact reforms and good governance in the settled areas, before embarking on experimentation in the conflict ridden Tribal belt?

Farhan | 13 years ago | Reply As far as mr Kyani is not interfering in day to day political affairs of government, he is the hero of Pakistan.

Faisal | 13 years ago | Reply i think it is drama created by usa itself to unsattle pakistan and other muslim countries

Faisal | 13 years ago | Reply i think it is a drama to unsattle pakistan.usa is behind it

USMAN MIR | 13 years ago | Reply Long Live General Kiyani!!!!

Maulana Halwa | 13 years ago | Reply Why should this be a surprise to anyone. Its obvious that the Clowns are just doing the show and the strings are being pulled by the man behind the curtain. Forbes weren't joking when they declared him the most Power man in Pakistan

Saima Khan | 13 years ago | Reply We need to stop playing double-games although I appreciate the need to have a foothold in Afghanistan or else we will be encircled. It is a delicate balance. I don't think anyone of our political/strategic thinkers knows what the right balance is.

Syed Nadir El-Edroos | 13 years ago | Reply Different strategy - same result -a power unto himself

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