– Ayesha Siddiqa

Pakistan can definitely claim to have lucky generals who are far stronger than civilians in surviving crisis. The latest name in the list is that of the current army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani. His wish of getting an extension was fulfilled beyond anyone’s expectations. Perhaps, he bargained for a complete tenure rather than just one year. While many in Pakistan may consider this as a surprise decision, noises in the US capital were pretty audible regarding the issue. The US Pentagon was keen to see General Kiyani stay. A lot of prominent Pakistani analysts and political commentators, who are otherwise upset on alleged American intervention in Islamabad’s affairs, seem to endorse this one decision. It is being argued that the general’s extension is critical to provide continuity in communication with the US. ..

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