In a rare move the COAS/CE of Pakistan has appointed a deputy COAS - General Usmani, to in effect take over the much of the day to day running of the army. This will allow General Musharraf to devote more of his energies to the position of Chief Executive.
Or is it the first concrete sign that he is about to become President in the very near future?
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http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/may20...main/main2.htm
Lt-Gen Usmani named DCOAS
By Shakil Shaikh
General Pervez Musharraf named Commander 5 Corps Lt-Gen Muzaffar Hussain Usmani as Deputy Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday in a military move which could have major political implications for the country as well.
The DCOAS will assume his new appointment on May 17. When Lt-General Usmani becomes the DCOAS on May 17, he will be the senior most three-star general. For the moment he has not been given a promotion and he will remain a three-star general but would become the second most important soldier in the Army.
"Lt-Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi, at present, serving as Commandant Command and Staff College, Quetta, will replace him as Commander 5 Corps," an ISPR Press release said, announcing Lt General Usmani's appointment.
The Chief of Army Staff has also appointed Maj-Gen Malik Arif Hayat as Commandant Command and Staff College Quetta, and Maj-Gen Syed Ali Hamid as Director-General, Defence Export promotion Organisation (DEPO) at Joint Staff Headquarters.
The political dimension of the move assumes importance in the wake of widespread speculation that General Pervez Musharraf will move up and assume the charge of the presidency while retaining the key office of COAS. General Usmani will then become the key officer to control the Army, in such an eventuality.
General Musharraf has already announced that he would not be retiring in October this year, as people in the helm of affairs claim that he would continue to be the Army chief till October 2002 in the light of the Supreme Court judgment, which has restricted the present rule to three years.
An Inter-Services Public Relations announcement said that Lt-Gen Usmani was designated as DCOAS. It is the discretion of the Army chief to make such administrative arrangements under particular circumstances. Lt-Gen Ghazi was promoted as three-star general some months back, but he kept waiting for his new assignment, though all the newly-promoted three-star generals were adjusted in a recent reshuffle at the command and staff structure of the Army.
Outgoing Inspector-General Training and Evaluation Lt-Gen Tahir Ali Qureshi was the senior most three-star general. He is due to retire from the Army on May 16 and by that time all the adjustments in the command and staff structure would be completed.
Lt-Gen Usmani was a key figure in the October 12 change as he had ensured that the PIA flight from Colombo to Karachi carrying the Army chief General Pervez Musharraf had a smooth landing at Karachi but not before the Army had seized power, overthrowing Nawaz Sharif.
Usmani was commissioned in 1966 in an Armoured Infantry Battalion. After four years of Regimental duties he was posted to School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta, as instructor. In 1974, he was posted to Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, as Platoon and Company Commander. After promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded two Armoured Infantry Battalions, including a battalion in Saudi Arabia.
As Brigadier, he commanded an Infantry as well as a Mechanised Brigade. On promotion to the rank of Major General, he commanded an Infantry Division. As Lieutenant General, he commanded two corps, one in Bahawalpur and the other in Karachi, from where he has been designated as DCOAS.
In addition to his command experience, he has also served on various staff appointments. He has served as director-general Military Training, inspector-general Training and Evaluation and vice chief of General Staff at the GHQ, in addition to his appointments as directing staff at Command and Staff College and National Defence College.
Lt-Gen Usmani, in addition to graduation from Command and Staff College, Quetta, has also attended Royal College of Defence Studies, UK, and Senior Officers Defence Management Course, USA.
[This message has been edited by Malik73 (edited May 02, 2001).]
Or is it the first concrete sign that he is about to become President in the very near future?
----------------
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/may20...main/main2.htm
Lt-Gen Usmani named DCOAS
By Shakil Shaikh
General Pervez Musharraf named Commander 5 Corps Lt-Gen Muzaffar Hussain Usmani as Deputy Chief of Army Staff on Tuesday in a military move which could have major political implications for the country as well.
The DCOAS will assume his new appointment on May 17. When Lt-General Usmani becomes the DCOAS on May 17, he will be the senior most three-star general. For the moment he has not been given a promotion and he will remain a three-star general but would become the second most important soldier in the Army.
"Lt-Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi, at present, serving as Commandant Command and Staff College, Quetta, will replace him as Commander 5 Corps," an ISPR Press release said, announcing Lt General Usmani's appointment.
The Chief of Army Staff has also appointed Maj-Gen Malik Arif Hayat as Commandant Command and Staff College Quetta, and Maj-Gen Syed Ali Hamid as Director-General, Defence Export promotion Organisation (DEPO) at Joint Staff Headquarters.
The political dimension of the move assumes importance in the wake of widespread speculation that General Pervez Musharraf will move up and assume the charge of the presidency while retaining the key office of COAS. General Usmani will then become the key officer to control the Army, in such an eventuality.
General Musharraf has already announced that he would not be retiring in October this year, as people in the helm of affairs claim that he would continue to be the Army chief till October 2002 in the light of the Supreme Court judgment, which has restricted the present rule to three years.
An Inter-Services Public Relations announcement said that Lt-Gen Usmani was designated as DCOAS. It is the discretion of the Army chief to make such administrative arrangements under particular circumstances. Lt-Gen Ghazi was promoted as three-star general some months back, but he kept waiting for his new assignment, though all the newly-promoted three-star generals were adjusted in a recent reshuffle at the command and staff structure of the Army.
Outgoing Inspector-General Training and Evaluation Lt-Gen Tahir Ali Qureshi was the senior most three-star general. He is due to retire from the Army on May 16 and by that time all the adjustments in the command and staff structure would be completed.
Lt-Gen Usmani was a key figure in the October 12 change as he had ensured that the PIA flight from Colombo to Karachi carrying the Army chief General Pervez Musharraf had a smooth landing at Karachi but not before the Army had seized power, overthrowing Nawaz Sharif.
Usmani was commissioned in 1966 in an Armoured Infantry Battalion. After four years of Regimental duties he was posted to School of Infantry and Tactics, Quetta, as instructor. In 1974, he was posted to Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, as Platoon and Company Commander. After promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded two Armoured Infantry Battalions, including a battalion in Saudi Arabia.
As Brigadier, he commanded an Infantry as well as a Mechanised Brigade. On promotion to the rank of Major General, he commanded an Infantry Division. As Lieutenant General, he commanded two corps, one in Bahawalpur and the other in Karachi, from where he has been designated as DCOAS.
In addition to his command experience, he has also served on various staff appointments. He has served as director-general Military Training, inspector-general Training and Evaluation and vice chief of General Staff at the GHQ, in addition to his appointments as directing staff at Command and Staff College and National Defence College.
Lt-Gen Usmani, in addition to graduation from Command and Staff College, Quetta, has also attended Royal College of Defence Studies, UK, and Senior Officers Defence Management Course, USA.
[This message has been edited by Malik73 (edited May 02, 2001).]
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