As Pakistan prepares itself for a new period of cooperation with the US in counterterrorism due to commence in the next few days, two important armed forces’ offices of the country also see the change of their holders, the air chief and ISI director general, as a vital development that will have its bearing on the US-led global war on terrorism.
The outgoing Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman will hand over the command to his successor, Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt as the new air chief tomorrow (Monday) whereas the ISI chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha spent the last day at his office on Saturday and Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, the new boss of Pakistan’s major spy agency will take over the charge today (Sunday).
These two important changes in the country’s security forces are taking place at a time when Pakistan has convened a joint session of its parliament on March 20 (Tuesday) to give the nod to recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on ‘new terms of engagement’ with the US as for the ongoing war on terrorism.
The relationship between Pakistan and the US saw ups and downs throughout the last year starting with the episode of Raymond Davis, who killed two Pakistanis at the very start of the year followed by the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a secret US military raid in Abbottabad on May 2.
However, the ties worsened when NATO aircraft attacked Pakistani border posts in November last year killing 24 Pakistani soldiers.
In reaction Pakistan blocked the NATO supplies through its soil, asked the US to vacate an airstrip, Shamsi air base that was being used for drone strikes by CIA in the Tribal Areas and also boycotted the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan while tasking the PCNS to come up with recommendations for renewed ties with the world’s sole super power. The NATO supplies are now likely to be restored within a few days after the parliament session with top Pakistani officials meeting their American counterparts working on related modalities in the line of recommendations to be approved by parliament. The appointment of new Pakistani air chief did not get that much western media attention as that of the new ISI chief but it’s a very significant development in the context of war of terrorism as well. General Pasha and Air Chief Marshal Rao on Saturday separately, paid farewell calls to President Asif Ali Zardari. The president praised the services rendered by them in the defence of the country. He also wished them success in their future lives. General Pasha also called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday who praised his services for the defence of the country while serving at important positions in the Pakistan Army and security agency. The prime minister extended his best wishes to General Pasha.
