New Pakistan army chief faces hard task

http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/SOU-03-021213.html



New Pakistan army chief faces hard task
Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Dec 2, '13

KARACHI - General Raheel Sharif assumed the command of Pakistan Army on November 29, two days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed him as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). General Sharif takes on Pakistan army at a crucial time when the country faces hard challenges on security front.

General Sharif replaced General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani, who left a legacy of keeping the military out of domestic politics and strengthening democratic process in the country. He followed a policy of non-interference in politics, helping the country witness the first democratic transition from one elected government to another following the May 11 general election this year.

General Sharif is supposed to play a key role as army chief at a time when Islamabad is pursuing peace process with the outlawed Pakistani Taliban to give peace a chance and the violence that has spread to settled areas from the tribal region of the country. The incumbent Taliban leadership has rejected the peace talks following the killing of Taliban's chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone strike on November 1.

His appointment has come at a time when there is widespread criticism of US drone strikes across the country and as the US prepares to draw down its forces in neighboring Afghanistan by the end of next year. He has to safeguard the country's strategic interests in the run up to the Afghan war endgame.