Pakistan’s outgoing army chief General Ashfaq Kayani (centre) inspects a guard of honour before handing over the command to his successor Raheel Sharif in Rawalpindi yesterday.
RAWALPINDI: General Raheel Sharif yesterday formally took over as the head of Pakistan’s army, the most powerful position in the troubled military-dominated nation which is battling a homegrown Taliban insurgency.
Sharif, named chief of the army staff on Wednesday, took charge from predecessor General Ashfaq Kayani at a ceremony at military headquarters in Rawalpindi. He takes over as head of the nuclear-armed state’s 600,000-strong army with a daunting array of challenges ahead of him.
The country is struggling with the Taliban campaign which has claimed thousands of lives, vexed relations with India and the winding-down of the 12-year Nato mission in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Sharif, a veteran infantry commander, was little known outside military circles before his promotion to army chief, but analysts say he is a dedicated soldier with little interest in politics.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif passed over two more senior generals to appoint his namesake, who is no relation, and will be hoping to avoid a repeat of events the last time he named an army chief -- General Pervez Musharraf overthrew him in a coup in 1999.
Pakistan has seen three coups and been ruled for more than half its 66-year history by the military. The armed forces still retain a powerful influence.
Departing commander Kayani has served as army chief since 2007 and has been given much credit for resisting the temptation to meddle overtly in politics.
His command saw Pakistan’s first ever transition of power from one democratically elected government to another at May’s general election. When he confirmed his retirement last month he stressed that the armed forces “fully support and want to strengthen” democracy.
Under Kayani’s command the army mounted successful offensives to wrest control of Swat district, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and South Waziristan tribal district from militants. Kayani told the audience of troops and dignitaries in Rawalpindi that he had “kept the interests of the army, the country and the nation above everything” in his command. An editorial in the liberal English-language daily Express Tribune said: “He stands out as the army chief who... firmly kept his promise of focusing on promoting military professionalism, rather than straying into other domains.” AFP
