Pakistan

WikiLeaks: Kayani used military appointments to increase control

Cable reveals General Kayani used regular promotion and transfer season to replace men appointed by Musharraf.

Express May 27, 2011

General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had used the Army’s “regular promotion and transfer season” to promote major generals, including current Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Ahmed Shujaa Pasha and others, to increase his control over military operations, revealed a recently released WikiLeaks cable.

The cable (reference no. 172986) dated August 10, 2008 and sent from the United States embassy in Islamabad reveals that Kayani had told US Admiral Mike Mullen that he would use the promotion system to increase his control. Kayani had replaced men appointed by former president Pervez Musharraf with those loyal to him.

While this was part of the Army’s regular promotion and transfer season, it enabled Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Kayani to replace officers selected by former President and COAS Musharraf with men loyal to him. Although the promotions and transfers technically were blessed by PM Gilani, the personnel changes were all based on Kayani’s choices.

Out of all the appointments, the most prominent ones were the appointment of Pasha and Tariq Khan, who took over as Inspector General (IG) of the Frontier Corps.

The US felt that Kayani had not directly responded to Mullen’s request of reforms in the ISI, but Pasha being appointed was a move in the right direction.

Pasha had replaced the “recalcitrant” Lieutenant General Nadeem Taj, who according to the cable “never seemed comfortable in his role as intelligence chief and was reluctant to engage with his US counterparts”.

According to a report on The Daily Beast website, Pasha was not keen on taking over as ISI chief as he had “no background on intelligence”. Pasha was an infantry armor officer and was close to Kayani, under whom he had served as infantry officer.

Cable Referenced: WikiLeaks no. 172986

The full text of the cables can be read on Dawn.com, The HinduandNDTV. WikiLeaks has previously released cables to other media organisations including Guardian and the New York Times.

COMMENTS (15)

Saleem | 13 years ago | Reply It happens everywhere not only Army. Even in normal corporate culture , once new director takes the lead , he would work to place his own people on key positions. This is not only to strengthen his position but these are the people whom the director or top guy has historically found most efficient in executing his orders.

ishrat salim | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Faraz....Kiyani had to sort out from the ideological to non-idiological elements by appointing ISI chief who had no " intellengence background or experience but an infantry armor officer from the infantry division during Gen Kiyani`s stint in the infantry division "....no wonder the quality of intel is evident since the last 3 years...?? GHQ was a classic example...it emerged that it was an inside job...?? including other attacks on military installations & compound ( the attack on mosque within the military residency compound ) to name few...??

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mehmood ayaz khan | 13 years ago | Reply Gen kayani is known for his personal choice, he has little regard for the system.Pak army has a very good system of promotion through promotion boards comprising of senior generals and corps commanders.Each officer being considered for promotion is thoroughly scrutinized and discussed by these boards and then recommended as fit or unfit for the next rank in the final board, also called the ratification, chaired by the COAS.But ever since gen Kayani has assumed power he has been holding the recommendations of these boards in total disregard. There have been instances where he has "vetoed" the promotions of those unanimously recommended as fit for the next rank as well as promoted the apples of his eye, not recommended by a single board.He has meted out some of the greatest injustices in the history of Pak army's promotion system.Painfully enough his decision cannot be challenged in any court in the country whatsoever.Merit?....who cares! And talk about the plots and property and the money he has gathered and the worst kind of nepotism he is indulging in, its an endless story.

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply Mr. Kayani is a signatory of the infamous NRO as well, why everybody just criticizes Mr. Zardari for using the NRO. They are all in there as equals to protect and serve each other and ruler over the deaf, dumb and blind 180 million people.

Aamer | 13 years ago | Reply @faraz, Then let the politicians sort out all the jobs and posts, why do we complain when politicians interfere and install only the 'ideological' ones to their liking. And thats exactly what merit is, it shouldn't matter if you like the person or not, if he deserves to be at a seat, he should get it.

Naveed Javed | 13 years ago | Reply Who else didn't??

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Well i think there is nothing wrong in that. Kiyani had to sort out the ideological and non-ideological ones

Aamer | 13 years ago | Reply @Lobster Thumbs up to your comment with shame

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Talk about merit and discipline

Lobster | 13 years ago | Reply @Aamer: you didn't realize yet that indeed it is "Khala jee ka ghar" funded by awam?

ASQ | 13 years ago | Reply thats the reason why every institution has failed in pakistan no merit in promotions!!!!!

Aamer | 13 years ago | Reply @IZ So whats the difference between politicians that try to force hand picked appointments and COAS? Is this a professional institute or ''khaala jee ka ghar''?

Moise | 13 years ago | Reply CIA keep shouting using Wikileaks. People see through you & even your own people.

khan | 13 years ago | Reply Traditionally Army Chief's did not rely on 'trust and loyalty' but military discipline. Having said that, the generals in the Pakistan Army probably lost the discipline once the service got deeply involved in the country's politics. So today a general is no different from his civilian political counterpart where egos and personal agendas abound.

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply This is the first thing every COAS does so its no surprise. I dont even think its a bad thing necessarily given that we know that trust and loyalty is in short supply these days

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