Jamshed Gulzar Kiani

Lieutenant-General Jamshed Gulzar Kiani (July 20, 1944 – November 1, 2008) was a Pakistan Army intelligence officer and the former Colonel Commandant of the X Corps and Baloch Regiment. An illustrative and long career army and intelligence officer, Kiani came into limelight when he had served as Director-General of the Pakistan Army's Military Intelligence and the commander of the X Corps. Having remembered as an upright and an honest officer during his military career, Kiani had served as a chairman of Federal Public Service Commission during the General Musharraf's regime and had to leave when he, and the then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz developed differences.

Military career
Kiani was commissioned in Pakistan Army's Baloch Regiment from 38th PMA Long Course from Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul. Kiani earned an MSc in war studies from the National Defence University, Islamabad. Having been active in Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts, Kiani was stationed as a commanding intelligence officer of the East Pakistan operations but the Pakistan Army Generals Headquarter (GHQ) had called then-Captain Kiani to West Pakistan after which he developed serious intelligence issues and matters with Martial law administrator of East Pakistan Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi. In an interview with dr. Masood, Kiani had famously called that "General A. A. K. Niazi was a total and abject failure general who had no control over the situation.

ISI career
After the war, Kiani was then posted in Karachi in 1972 as a Major, and had served in the "ISI Karachi Headquarters". In 1975, then Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto promoted him to Lieutenant Colonel and later Colonel. After which, the prime minister had assigned Colonel Kiyani as an intelligence security officer at the then-known as Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL) where he was an instrumental securing the nuclear and fissile materials.

Indo-Pakistani conflict of 1984
In 1987, then President and army chief General Zia-ul-Haq promoted him as Brigadier-General. In September 1987, he was made principle intelligence officer, alongside with then-Brigadier-General Parvez Musharraf, Kiani was an instrumental gathering the intelligence information to a newly formed SSG at Khapalu base (Kashmir). Based on his intelligence information, Brigadier-General Parvez Musharraf launched an assault and successfully captured two intermediate posts, Bilafond La in Siachen Glacier.

After the Siachen conflict, Kiani had transferred to Baloch Regiment and was stationed at Ormara. Prior to 1994, Brigadier-General Kiani had supervised the construction of the Jinnah Naval Base's space facility, and also had supervised the completion of the launch pad and space-control tower of the facility.

Indo-Pakistan War of 1999
In 1996, Kiani was promoted as a Major-General and was made Colonel-in-Chief of one of the Light Infantry of the Baloch Regiment, notable a X Baloch Light Infantry Regiment. Kiani then had transferred to Military Intelligence as well as serving as the Colonel Commandant of the X Baloch Light Infantry Regiment. Again, as an active military figure in India-Pakistan conflicts and war, Major General Kiani was transferred to ISI and was assigned to gather and collect intelligence information on India's strategic position in Jammu and Kashmir. On March 12, 1999, he, along with senior military officials at ISI headquarter, Kiani had given the presentation and briefed then-Prime minister Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, which according to him, had nothing to do with Kargil conflict. During the event from May to July, Major-General Kiani had given presentation to Armed Forces Chiefs every single week on the conflict, and had given presentation to prime minister only three times on the conflict.

1999 Pakistani coup d'état
Major General Kiani came into limelight when he headed the M.I and, according to the Pakistani media, the general was the Colonel-in-Chief of the X Corps at the time of military takeover of October 1999. However, in an interview with Dr. Shahid Masood, LTG Kiani has denied the fact that he was the Colonel Commandant of the X Corps of Pakistan Army during the time General Musharaf had ousted the prime minister to take over the country. According to his interview, then-Major General Kiani was promoted to Lieutenant General and was made the Colonel-in-Chief of the X Corps on November 1, 1999.

Indo-Pakistan conflict of 2001–02
In November 1999, Kiani was promoted to Lieutenant-General and took over the X Corps under the command of Lieutenant General Mahmud Ahmed. In 2001, he was made the General Headquarters (GHQ)'s adjutant general. After he completed his term in GHQ, he was again given the command of X Corps. The X Corps again saw the action against Indian Army when, in late 2001, Indian Army launches the Operation Parakram. LTG Kiani, having a long career as an intelligence officer, commanded the X Corps posted in Azad Kashmir. In October 2002, both Indian and Pakistani governments had begun to demobilize their troops along their border and, in 2003, a cease fire pact was signed.

War in North-West
LTG Kiani then was given the command of Baloch Regiment and was made Colonel Commandant of the regiment. His regiment was the first regiment that was deployed in South and North Waziristan. His Regiment was given tasks to search and arrest the al-Qaeda members. In 2004, the tensions rooted Pakistani Army and tribe leaders and the heavy fighting broke in the areas. His regiment saw the heaviest fighting broke out at Azam Warsak, near the South Waziristan town of Wana. Despite of his heroic actions in the war, Lieutenant General Jamshed Gulzar Kiani took retirement from the Pakistan Army in October 14, 2004 and received an honorable discharge from the army.

Post-retirement
After his retirement, General Kiani was made Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), a government of Pakistan's agency responsible for the appointment of the civil servants and bureaucrats in the Government, by the General Pervez Musharraf. He remained chairman of the FPSC for three years. He had neutralized the prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali who had first demand to give power of appointments in Central Board of Revenue (CBR) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to ministers. According to Kiani, if this power was given to ministers they would have gotten their own way. General Kayani developed difference with Prime minister Shaukat Aziz over postings of senior officials. He had to vacate his FPSC post prematurely on March 30, 2006 after the government reduced his tenure by two-and-a-half years through a presidential ordinance. He challenged the ordinance in Lahore High Court (LHC) but the court rejected his petition. However, General Parvez Musharraf personally asked him to lead the Commission. General Kiani latter tried to settle his scores with then-President General Pervez Musharraf in 2007, when the operation silence of Red Mosque was launched to curtail terrorist who were challenging writ of the state.

Death
General Jamshed Gulzar Kiani died on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at the age of 64, shortly after he given and much criticized the former general. The cause of his death was protracted illness and remaining under treatment in coma at Combined Military Hospital, Islamabad. His funeral was attended a large number of people belonging to various walks of life besides including current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed, Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lieutenant General Tahir Mehmood, former COAS General Mirza Aslam Baig, former DG ISI General (Retd) Hameed Gul, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Khan Durrani, members of Pakistan Ex‑Servicemen Association, ex‑Generals, political figures, former Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar M. Anwar Khan, President and General Secretary of Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Sardar Asmat Ullah Khan and Malik Siddique Awan and other lawyers.

Later, after burial ceremony, Auditor General of Pakistan Army (AGP) Lieutenant General Javed Zia laid floral wreaths on the grave of Late General Kiyani on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani and Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lt General Tahir Mehmood.

Views on Musharraf
Jamshed Gulzar Kiani had given his first interview to dr. Shahid Masood in which he widely and severely criticized then-army chief General Parvez Musharraf. Talking to the Geo TV programme Meray Mutabiq, he said General Musharraf had committed basic mistakes such as the Kargil debacle, surrender to the US threat of pushing Pakistan into the Stone Age and the Lal Masjid destruction. In an interview, he had condemned the arrest and treatment of Taliban regime ambassador to Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef. According to Lt.Gen. Kiani, he was in the ISI and advised against such acts but his advice fell on deaf ears.'' As a result today Musharraf was the most unpopular president. If he had accepted the advice, he would have been the most successful president of Pakistan today'', he concluded.

Calls for Kargil War introspection
General Kiani who was a head of the Military Intelligence had said according to his information Nawaz Sharif did not know anything about the Kargil episode. He was never thoroughly briefed on the same. He supported holding of a probe into the Kargil fiasco, adding factors behind the scene, about which people do not know, would also come into the limelight.

In an interview, Masood asked what was General Musharraf's plan, General Kiyani said he had briefed Nawaz Sharif and told him that it was a very sensitive issue and he could not unveil all the details to him. He was only apprised of the ongoing situation. Nawaz time and again asked about the truth from senior officials including Sartaj Aziz who was the foreign minister. He also tried to persuade the chief of army staff. General Majid spoke in detail on the issue. General Mahmood was the corps commander then.

Kiyani said our Jawans (soldiers) bravely fought the Kargil War. I think they revived the memories of the 1965 war. Our officers fought more fiercely than in the 1965 War and repulsed enemy attacks time and again. Despite the fact that supplies were disrupted due to extreme cold, the Jawans continued the war. He repeated that arguments will come up when there will be a probe.

He termed Nawaz’s travel to the United States a bid to save the prestige of the Pakistan Army. He said in the meeting of May 17 Nawaz gave a green signal to the operation. He assured conditional support to General Musharraf that the government would back the operation when he successfully moved forward. If unfortunately the same failed, he would not be in a position to support General Musharraf's game plan. When the army was caught in an awkward situation, he again travelled to the United States to save the symbol of the country, the Pakistan Army.

Criticism
After his revelation, Kiani was widely criticized by the Presidential spokesman Major General (retired) Rashid Qureshi. The Presidential spokesman termed the charges against Musharraf as "foolish and rubbish". Major-General Qureshi had also said that General Kiani had behaved like "an angry and perturbed child" who was talking senselessly about all the favours bestowed on him.

"He showed sham loyalty and got promotions and lucrative appointments after retirement. On showing poor performance former prime minister Shaukat Aziz sacked him. If he was an upright person, he should have rejected appointment after retirement. Indeed, he was trying to benefit some political elements. During service he did not utter a single word against the policies of Musharraf", the spokesperson concluded.

Legacy
General Kiani is remembered in Pakistan's defence circles as A brave soldier of the Pakistan Army. Having remembered as upright, strict and an honest intelligence officer of the army, General Kiani played an active role in the ex-servicemen society’s struggle for separation of the offices of the President and Army Chief. Kiani had faced the threats of court martial last year for raising voice on many matters that have been tabooed in Pakistan for many years. He asked for an inquiry into Kargil operations, which he called a debacle. He also demanded inquiry into the assault on Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) and the girls’ seminary (Jamia Hafsa) of Islamabad and claimed that white phosphorus bombs were used in the assault. He also called for the trial of General Pervez Musharraf for repeatedly violating the constitution.