January 11
Amid intense speculation that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is about to sack the chief of the Army, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the ISI chief, General Shuja Pasha, the Army chief today named Brigadier Sarfraz Ali as commander of the ‘Triple Brigade’ at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.The brigade has been used in every military take-over in the past.
The speculation was fuelled by Prime Minister’s sacking of the Defence Secretary, retired lieutenant General Naeem Khalid Lodhi, for allegedly acting against the Constitution and creating misunderstanding between institutions. The Defence Secretary, deemed close to the Army Chief, had forwarded affidavits by both the Army chief and the ISI chief on ‘Memogate’ directly to the Supreme Court, without getting the approval of the civilian government.
The new Defence Secretary, Ms Nargis Sethi, has worked closely with Prime Minister Gilani and enjoys his confidence. The PM must have the Defence Secretary on his side if he planned to dismiss the Army Chief and the ISI chief. Historically, military chiefs in Pakistan have recommended the names of retired military officers for the post.
But in a premptive move, the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Athar Abbas, issued a statement describing the Prime Minister’s allegations against the two Generals for directly approaching the Supreme Court on ‘Memogate’ as unfortunate and having ‘dire implications’. The two Generals, he said, had sent their affidavits to the Attorney General and the Defence Secretary and it was for them to secure the government’s approval. The PM had described the act as ‘illegal’ and unconstitutional’.
The affidavits related
to a memo ostensibly delivered to the United States, seeking US help to rein in the
Generals.
Meanwhile the Cabinet decided to take the confrontation with the Supreme Court to the Parliament. An emergency session of the National Assembly has been convened on Thursday to presumably adopt a resolution expressing confidence in the Prime Minister and the civilian government.
The Senate has been
convened to meet on January 16.
The cabinet, which deliberated on the Supreme Court’s threat to disqualify Mr Gilani on the charge of contempt of court and wilfully defying court orders, reposed full confidence in both President Zardari and the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet also
resolved to fight all conspiracies against the democratic order.
With the Government, the Army and the Judiciary digging in their heels, Pakistan appeared headed for a free fall. There was speculation that the PM might address the Nation late on Wednesday evening even as the Presidency denied reports that President Zardari had offered to quit in view of the situation.
The Presidency also contradicted media reports that President Asif Zardari
has offered to step down if his allies so desired. “The President at no stage made such offer nor does he intend to do that,” a
press release by the Presidency said.
The PPP has approached its coalition partners for support in current crises but observers doubted if they would be joining publicly in confronting the judiciary and the military. Informed sources said top leaders of the coalition parties have advised the President to de-escalate tensions and refrain from any precipitate action.
