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The recent spurt of verbal attacks by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and other politicians wreaked havoc on the Pakistani Army and despite the strong words of the Army in public against the mudslinging there has been no respite.
It all started when Imran Khan, in his podcast, termed Peshawar Corps Commander and former ISI chief, Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid as his "eyes and ears". Hamid has been a key figure in the ongoing political upheaval. He is said to have masterminded the rise of Imran Khan as the Prime Minister. However Pakistan Army chief, General Qamar Bajwa wanted Hamid to be away from Islamabad. The reason for this is Hamid's liaison with a journalist who has spoken against the military establishment. The episode could have sullied Hamid's chance of being the Chief of Army Staff however, he remains one of the contenders, reported Islam Khabar. The statement by Imran Khan also triggered a volley of spiteful comments from his opponents. Former President Asif Ali Zardari made a disparaging remark about Faiz Hamid not being in the line for the chief. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that the army chief should be a person who had a "flawless reputation", free from any criticism or doubts. The then Defence Minister Khawaja Asif spoke about the possibility of holding the elections before the new chief takes over. With the ongoing war of words, it seems clear that Army has failed to understand public opinion. Moreover, the attack on Faiz Hamid was a direct assault on the ISI. It targeted the core element of the Pakistan Army - its involvement in civilian affairs -- its main pillar of strength, as per the media portal. This is a serious cause of worry among the Generals. Since the Musharraf days, the ISI has been the instrument of the army to whittle down the two dynastic political parties, PPP and PMLN, to a considerable extent. However, the same set of political parties has suddenly emerged on the scene, upsetting the army's long plans, and targeting the ISI and its leadership. (ANI)
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