Rahimullah Yusufzai

Sometimes a statement attributed to someone important is quoted so often that it becomes difficult to deny it even if it is incorrect. Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani seems to have suffered on this count.



On occasions when he has interacted informally with members of the media or through the military spokesmen, the army chief has tried to clarify these statements. However, his plea that he has been misquoted didn’t register as these statements are still being attributed to Gen Kayani.



One such statement is that Gen Kayani considered the Haqqani network, a faction of the Afghan Taliban movement, an asset for Pakistan. The statement has been repeatedly denied but it was quoted yet again by a Time magazine columnist moderating an Asia Society discussion in January on ‘Pakistan’s Democratic Journey’ with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in New York.



He quoted an ‘interview’ of Gen Kayani with The New York Times four years ago in which he allegedly stated that the Haqqani network was a strategic asset for Pakistan. Replying that Gen Kayani didn’t hold this view, Khar said whoever held such an opinion didn’t represent the present government of Pakistan.



One knows for sure that Gen Kayani hasn’t given any interview to-date. He will complete six years as chief of the army staff in November this year, and before he became army chief he headed the Inter-Services intelligence (ISI) for three years.



But he has declined to grant an interview to any local or foreign media organisation despite repeated requests. He has certainly met Pakistani journalists, columnists and academics in groups and also individually, but these were by and large off-the-record and informal briefings focusing on major issues, including the fight against terrorism, the Afghan conflict, relations with India, etc.



It is made clear in such briefings that they won’t be reported and Gen Kayani cannot be quoted. In some of these interactions, Gen Kayani made it clear that he never made the statement that the Haqqanis are an asset for Pakistan. As he recently explained, his definition of an asset for the country was based on the consideration of whether the option was harmful or useful for Pakistan.



Gen Kayani also complained that at times cliches are used to describe him or his views. He listed cliches such as ‘India-centric’ or ‘India-obsessed’ to explain the way he is identified by sections of the media. Besides, he felt he was misquoted regarding the US role in Pakistan.



The army chief pointed out how his motives were questioned and conspiracy theories were highlighted that the army could exploit one or the other crisis in the country to capture power or install a government of technocrats. To quote one of his statements at a recent media briefing, the proof of one’s intentions is whatever happens on the ground and not something that is speculated.



According to Gen Kayani, it was his dream to let democracy flourish so that the elected government is able to complete its five-year term, followed by free and fair general election and a peaceful transfer of power.



Hoping that the dream is about to materialise, he reiterated the military’s resolve to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure free and transparent polls and let the electorate decide their future rulers, whether good or bad.



As if arguing that his word should be trusted, Gen Kayani recalled how the military stayed neutral and respected the verdict of the voters in the 2008 general elections.



On occasions, allegations are made and unbelievable reports are published. One such allegation was that the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi leader Malik Ishaq was once flown in the army chief’s plane. Gen Kayani in his recent media interaction stressed that the aircraft is for his use only, and not even for the corps commanders and other senior army officers.