After weeks of intense speculation in the media, two senior army officers were appointed as Chief of’ Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee on the recommendation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Nov 27. Career infantry officer Lt Gen Raheel Sharif was appointed as the new COAS of the Pakistan Army and Lt Gen Rashad Mahmood was appointed as the CJCSC – both were promoted to the rank of four-star general. The baton of command of the Pakistan army thus passed from outgoing COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to General Raheel Sharif, the new incumbent and the 15th COAS. This brought to an end General Kayani’s 44-year long career in the army during which he had the distinction of heading some of the top most positions, including as head of ISI before taking over as COAS from General Pervez Musharraf in 2007 and receiving an extension of three years in 2010.
That the Prime Minister would have exercised utmost care in deciding upon who the new COAS would be is stating the obvious considering that the last time he was prime minister in 1999 he had picked Musharraf to replace another general for the COAS position. This appointment, however, proved to be quite disastrous for the PM as within months Musharraf was responsible for starting a war with India in Kashmir. When the Prime Minister tried to intervene and get rid of Musharraf, he was overthrown by the army and eventually had to spend a decade in exile in Saudi Arabia. In a strange twist of fate Musharraf is now on trial in Pakistan for treason and Nawaz Sharif is Prime Minister once more. It now remains to be seen whether Nawaz Sharif has chosen better than he did in 1999. For the benefit of readers I am reproducing my article “CHANGING THE GUARD”.
As his closest professional confidante, the choice of Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is usually a strong indicator of the Army Chief’s preference for a successor. Passing him over for CGS for (than) Lt Gen Rashad Mahmood. Kayani appointed Lt Gen Haroon Aslam as Chief of Logistics Services (CLS). Junior to Rashad, (than) Lt Gen Raheel Sharif was rumoured to be slotted by Kayani for the more senior (than COAS) post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC). Not comfortable with Kayani’s recommendations and/or for reasons only in the realm of speculation, it suited the Sharifs to go with seniority instead. The PM appointed Rashad Mahmood the Chairman JCSC and Raheel Sharif the COAS.
An introvert who doesn’t mix easily, the new Chairman JCSC is known to be Intelligent and meticulous, his career path clearly demonstrates he knows how to work the system. However Gen Rashad Mahmood doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind. Opinionated to the extent of rigidity and a hard task master, that this professional soldier tends to stay aloof doesn’t endear him to most. Having strong likes and dislikes, he is known to look after those he cares for.
Being a younger brother of Pakistan’s war hero Maj Shabbir Sharif Shaheed, Nishan-i-Haider (and a nephew of Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Nishan-i-Haider), does not hurt Gen Raheel Sharif’s profile as the new COAS. Brave and flamboyant, Shabbir Sharif was on extrovert (his Harley Davidson was symbolic) to the point of being rash, he was born for “Shahadat” in the service of his country. A laid back and measured professional in contrast, Raheel is not given to wearing his courage or his feelings on his sleeve. Having held the prestigious appointment of Commandant Pakistan Military Academy, (PMA), as Corps Commander Gujranwala he was very popular among the rank and file. Because of his lost appointment as IGT & E, the media went to town waxing eloquently about Gen Raheel Sharif being the “brains” behind the Army’s new doctrine. This was patently wrong! Our tendency to fervently worship the rising sun can unnecessarily create a negative backlash.
The fresh doctrine to counter India’s “Cold Start” which seeks to change the norm of “mobilizing and going to war” to “going to war/attacking and then mobilizing” is because of a complete series of initiatives taken by Kayani soon after he became COAS. Those included analysis, discussions, debate, tactical exercises without troops, war games, field exercises, etc over a four year period starting 2009. The “Azm-e-Nou” series of exercises culminated in 2013. The sea-change in our military thinking and execution thereof was quite apparent in the recent Army live firing exercise at Tameywali. In simple terms, instead of covering open spaces by crossfire, we were “firing for effect,” ie shooting to kill. A small well-trained dedicated force con counter and contain for larger forces effectively. With Kayani the driving force, a broad cross-section of various ranks, including Raheel Sharif, participated in the evolution of the new doctrine.
Barring the fact that my first term roommate in PMA, Raheel Sharif’s elder brother Mumtaz who retired as a Captain and does business in Germany, is rumoured to be close to Shahbaz Sharif, there is no evidence of Raheel Sharif benefitting from this relationship and vice versa. Don’t hold your breath, this country has suffered at the hands of “talented” cousins and brothers, etc.
In contrast to the media gushing over the new COAS, the Chairman JCSC was given almost reluctant coverage. This adequately highlights one of the great hypocrisies and anomalies of our command structure. Once when I asked the rhetorical question, what does the Chairman JCSC do for a living, the than incumbent Tariq Majeed took it to his arrogant heart and flew off the handle, spoiling my relationship with a military intellectual one had a lot of time for, than ISPR Chief Maj Gen Athar Abbas. In modern warfare it is vital to have an “integrated higher command” structure, in Pakistan this great anomaly continues to survive in a very professional Armed Forces. Can those with conscience accept this lack of cohesive coordination at the higher command level that (has previously) will spell disaster on future war performance? Is the individual’s hankering for the COAS power appointment more important than the existence of the country? Kayani was too intelligent not to recognize this, that he failed to do anything about it is a paradox one could never understand.
The conventional wisdom behind Raheel Sharif’s choice as COAS is that the govt wanted to play safe by having a decidedly low-key professional with a good military pedigree. Superseding a deserving combat soldier like Haroon Aslam and moving the Kayani favourite Rashad Mahmood upstairs into the ineffectual Chairman JCSC slot according to seniority did not invite criticism a la Oct 1998 when two outstanding soldiers, Lt Gens Ali Kuli Khan and Khalid Nawaz, were superseded. Both Haroon Aslam and Tariq Khan (No 1 and 4 in seniority respectively before the new appointments) have meritorious combat service leading their troops from the front. Both being blunt and outspoken was a safe bet that these two were most likely not to be promoted. Merit is usually a disqualifier in Pakistan, but not promoting deserving combat soldiers will act as a disincentive for those who have heard shots fired in anger.
While recognizing what Kayani has done to uplift the Army’s morale, image and professionalism, the rank and file did not care much for his turning the other cheek while Zardari and his lot revelled in corruption during his regime. A “coup d’etat” is not needed to make the Army’s annoyance felt, quiet counsel can have effect, alternatively a strong statement does the trick. Did Kayanj keep quiet out of sheer habit and/or, enduring love for democracy and/or was he compromised to some extent? It is a fair bet that the glow of the honeymoon period of this stoic soldier’s retirement will soon fade away. The Sharifs waited close to Kayani’s retirement before proceeding against Gens Aslam Beg and Pervez Musharraf. If anyone has violated the Constitution while in service he must be tried within the service. Putting senior uniformed personnel into civilian courts is asking for trouble, not opposing this creation of a precedent will come to haunt Gen Kayani. The present prosecutions may be meant as a caution against adventurism, whether it will deter those who decide the existence of the country is more important than democracy is another matter. Those violating the Constitution hove always known they can be held accountable, that has never deterred them.
Murmurs abound whether Raheel Sharif is “decisive” or “assertive”. His personality is maybe laid back as compared to the others, the COAS chair has a way of making you decisive and assertive. Kayoni used to be both but only when he knew his rank and file hod reached their limits of frustration. Raheel’s first decision, the appointment of a professional like Lt Gen Ashfaq Nadeem as CGS, was excellent. Don’t underestimate the new COAS, he may well surprise everyone, both in private and public his comments may be far more forceful than what the govt bargained for.
