Mush picks 'US-friendly' Kiyani as new Army Chief

GENERAL IN WAITING: Kiyani (left back) was also favoured by Pentagon to take over from Musharraf. (Photo: AP)

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New Delhi: Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday handpicked former Pakistani intelligence chief Lt Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani the new Army Chief, DawnNews TV reported.

Known as the chain-smoking spy in Pakistan, Lt Gen Kiyani will replace President Gen Pervez Musharraf as head of the Army after Saturday's presidential election.

If everything goes off as planned, Pakistan Television said the appointment would be effective on Monday. Lt-Gen Kiyani earlier served as the head of Pakistani's feared ISI intelligence agency.

Military spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said Gen Ashfaq Kiyani has been promoted to Vice Chief of the Army and he will take the powerful top job when Gen Musharraf vacates it.

Lt Gen Kiyani is known as one of Musharraf's most trusted officers who has always kept a low profile in public. People who have worked closely with him, however, speak highly of his abilities — more highly in some cases than his boss might like.

In an Army reshuffle in September, Gen Musharraf had promoted some of his most trusted officers to key positions. In that reshuffle, Musharraf had replaced Kiyani and Rawalpindi corps commander Tariq Majid. Majid will now be the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Analysts have described both men as Musharraf loyalists, who are likely to continue his pro-US policies.

Lt-Gen Kiyani is the seniormost general after Gen Musharraf. "Kayani is the most competent candidate by far," a Western military official in Islamabad had said earlier this week.

Now, if President Musharraf wins the October 6 presidential polls, he is likely to shed his uniform, paving the way for Lt Gen Kiyani to take over.

Lt Gen Kiyani is also believed to be the man favoured by the Pentagon to take over from Gen Musharraf.