The biggest achievement associated with General Kayani’s tenure is his pledge to keep the military away from politics.
ISLAMABAD: General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s six years as commander of the most powerful institution in Pakistan should be seen as a success story in totality. The biggest achievement associated with General Kayani’s tenure is his pledge to keep the military away from politics. He took hold of the command at a very crucial time when Pakistan had been facing many challenges, internal as well as external. The Pakistan Army, under his leadership, displayed great endurance despite setbacks like the attack on the Salala check post, the Gayari landslide and the Upper Dir incident to name a few.
General Kayani’s role in nation-building had been remarkable with long-lasting effects. Many developmental projects were initiated by the army under his visionary leadership. Extensions of military hospitals, the emphasis on education, especially the establishment of the Pakistan Educational City at Sui in 2011, are the milestones achieved under his command. Apart from that, a strong emphasis was laid in the army on excelling in professional skills instead of meddling in political affairs, which is really commendable.
Moreover, the inauguration of the Shuhada Sector on the eve of his departure from the office of the COAS is an example of his concern and respect for our martyrs, who sacrificed their ‘today’ for our ‘tomorrow’. His successor has a great legacy to follow.
Huma Nawaz
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2013.
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