Kiani and Pasha : Men at their best!

Given the situation in Pakistan these days, there aren't many in Pakistan to be termed as the coolest men in the country. Not that we had many any way to start with, yet there were even fewer who exclusively belonged to Pakistan with many finding that tag in our neighbouring country. However the “few ones” that are left mostly belong to our Army and two men these days, within the Armed Forces of Pakistan fall perfectly under the category of Men at their Best in Pakistan – Chief of Army Staff Pervez Ashfaq Kiyani and DG-ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

With all the brouhaha in Pakistan, where it's a complete chaos in the country with the government having its tail between its legs and the nation seems to be in doldrums with all sorts of news flying towards them, looking at the faces of Kiyani and Pasha, there is utmost serenity and calmness in their conduct.

The latest face-off between the People's Party government and the Army has put a seal on the ever-widening, unbridgeable gap between the two institutions. Earlier we use to hear Pakistan is suffering from serious trust deficit with countries like India and United States, however things have changed dramatically in the last few years. Not that there was any kind of trust between the Army and the government since Pakistan came into existence, but it hasn't been this conspicuous as it is now.

With the Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, giving an interview to a Chinese daily in questionable manner is not a show of frustration by him, but rather a growing effort by the government to provoke the Army to do for which it has become so famous in the history of Pakistan – coupe – while the government may portray itself as a victim of the Army's aggression. This has been the way of People's Party since Bhutto was hanged by the judiciary, much at the behest of the Army. Now, though, things are very different.

The latest attack on the Army by the government clearly puts things into perspective for everyone that the government has set their eyes on the next election. And while they know they won't be able to get many votes, let alone forming any government, they have opted to play their same old tricks and that is become a victim in the eyes of the voters.

The government may have resorted to blatant trickery, skullduggery and dirty politics to discredit the Army in front of the nation; the Army has shown great restraint and maturity. In fact, the two Heads – Kiyani and Pasha – have looked the most composed men in the country where almost everything gives a stark picture. The head of the Armed Forces haven't yet pressed the panic button, much to the quiet pleasure of the people who revere their Army very highly, but the government, probably counting its numbered days, has lost its heads and is clearly in a state of panic. With the President opting for treatment in foreign countries and leaving Pakistan in suspicious circumstances and the Prime Minister making heady statements against the Army and the Judiciary which are completely uncalled for, it won't be wrong to say this that Chief of Army Staff and DG-ISI have by far looked the coolest men in Pakistan.

P.S  Gen. Kiyani was named the 34th most powerful person in 2011 by Forbes Magazine.

(This article was first published by Saif's Den with Journalist Pakistan on 15^th January 2012)