MUSHARRAF PLACES LOYALISTS IN KEY ARMY SLOTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 004158

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PK
SUBJECT: MUSHARRAF PLACES LOYALISTS IN KEY ARMY SLOTS

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (U) Summary. On September 21, President Musharraf
announced the promotion of six major generals - all Musharraf
loyalists - to the rank of lieutenant generals. The most
notable appointment was that of Major General Nadeem Taj to
Director General Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) to succeed
current DG Lt Gen Kayani. Musharraf is consolidating his
power base within the Army and attempting to secure his
control over that critical institution as he contemplates
removing his uniform and assuming a civilian presidency. We
expect decisions on the new Vice Chief of Army Staff and
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs before the October 6
presidential election. End Summary.

TAJ TAKES OVER ISI

2. (C) On September 21, President Musharraf appointed six
major generals to the rank of lieutenant general. The most
significant of these appointments was that of newly promoted
Lt Gen Nadeem Taj to Director General ISI, succeeding Lt Gen
Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. (Kayani is rumored to be under
consideration for the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff where
he would succeed retiring General Ahsan Saleem Hyat.)

3. (C) Taj is former head of Military Intelligence and a
close Musharraf loyalist with historic ties to the President.
He served as Musharraf's personal secretary when he was
Chief of Army Staff and military secretary when Musharraf
became President. In fact, he was on the plane with
Musharraf in 1999 when PM Nawaz Sharif attempted to prevent
the landing; this event triggered Musharraf's 1999 coup.
Additionally, Taj was nearly killed during the two attempts
on Musharraf's life in December 2003. Taj's wife is also
related to Musharraf.

NEW COUNTERNARCOTICS CHIEF

4. (C) The next most significant appointment was that of
Major General Shujaat Zamir Dar to Director General of the
Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). Dar served as Inspector General
Frontier Corps Balochistan where he gained a reputation as a
proactive hardliner in combating counterinsurgency. Dar also
reportedly oversaw the development of the Frontier Corps
Rapid Interdiction Force. (Note: Dar's ANF predecessor,
General Khalid Jaffrey, took a passive and often obstructive
role in counternarcotics cooperation; Post hopes that Dar
will be a more active and cooperative partner, though he also
has a reputation for being arrogant and demanding. Dar has
made an early move towards engagement by agreeing to
participate in a DEA-sponsored trip to the U.S. to attend the
International Association of Chiefs of Police conference
(Oct. 13-17) and participate in follow-on senior DEA
consultations, even though this means he will begin travel
the day after he assumes office. END NOTE)

5. (C) Comment. Musharraf has announced that he will resign
as Chief of Army Staff before he takes the oath of office for
another term as President (probably on November 15). The
Supreme Court currently is hearing challenges to his
eligibility to seek re-election and could demand he remove
the uniform in order to be a candidate (September 29). When
he takes off his uniform, Musharraf will lose control over
Army promotions, thus significantly reducing his status as a
powerbroker within the institution. By filling the most
critical Army slots with loyalists now, he is seeking to
ensure that, even as a civilian, he will maintain the Army's
indispensable support for his leadership. That support seems
firmly in place at the moment; however, Pakistan's history is
replete with examples of other presidents who mistakenly
thought they had secured the critical support of the Chief of
Army Staff. We expect Musharraf to announce his choices for
Vice Chief of Army Staff (who will automatically become Chief
once Musharraf resigns) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
before the October 6 presidential election.
PATTERSON