Editor’s Note: Lt. Gen. (retd.) Shahid Aziz has been making headlines after his revelations about anti-corruption efforts and the war on terror during President Pervez Musharraf’s tenure. The general and I have corresponded over the last few days, discussing his motivations, and he agreed to publish one of his e-mails here:
Hello Shaan,
My appearance on the TV is rather coincidental. Am not a person of great timings, as you put it. If I could make such calculations, my life would have been miserable. I am happy in the lost paradise that I have been living in. Due to the NRO issue I was pushed to speak in support of anti-corruption, despite my belief that no meaningful improvements in this field can come in the foreseeable time. In fact, some time back, I was (forcefully) invited to speak at the forum of PILDAT on the new anti-corruption bill which was then under debate [read: Gen. Aziz's talking points]. I termed it “munafiqat ki benazir misaal” [epitome of hypocrisy] in my opening remark, on which all politicians present, including PML(N), got furious. They really don’t like generals. Can’t blame them too.
My appearance on TV now, has wandered into the terrorism issue, which, as you know, is also the other serious concern of mine. This is because of my involvement in these issues, while I served the Army and then the Government, and the moral burden I carry from there. I cannot say where all this anti-terrorism will end, but has certainly landed us in a blood bath. There are the mullahs on one side and US policy pursuits on the other. And the miserable lot of Pakistanis crushed in the middle.
Other than personal attacks on me in the media, I am told that NAB is looking into my ‘deeds’ during my stay as Chairman. To my good luck, I had taken certain measures for changes within NAB, one of which included transparency within the department. We had weekly meetings in a board room attended by the concerned investigators, prosecutors, deputy directors, directors, DGs, Deputy Prosecutor General Accountability, Prosecutor General Accountability and Deputy Chairman NAB. All cases were presented here on Power Point, debated and decision arrived at. I had also passed written instructions that if a case of any relative of any one serving in NAB or any one who is someone in the country is presented it will be announced in the board room. I announced my decision and signed all formal documents for opening/closing cases, etc in that meeting, in presence of everyone. And all this was recorded on close circuit TV for posterity. I didn’t sign any such paper in the privacy of my office. I wonder if these records would also be brought out, in my support. Or if any one serving with me in these assignments would speak up. But I doubt.
I once invited some important people from the media, during my initial days, for sharing my thoughts and problems with them and seeking support from them in my solo fight against the sitting government — got no support. The political environment at the time I joined NAB was quite charged and no one would want to be seen supporting a general. This meeting was also held in the same room and was recorded in camera, as all meetings in this room, post my arrival. All my meetings with people who were under investigation were held in a meeting room which were video recorded and the record is now held with NAB. This was also started by me. I didn’t meet these people in my office, including Malik Riaz of Behria.
On 9the Dec 2006, on the Anti-Corruption Day NAB organized an anti-corruption march on Constitution Avenue in Islamabad. Edhi Saheb [Abdul Sattar Edhi] came to lead it. Our call was “UNITE AGAINST CORRUPTION”. I tried to rally support from the media and the public, but none came, except some school and college children with our request to them. Earlier that day the President was to come for the formal Anti-Corruption Day function but didn’t and the PM came. He openly abused NAB for its misdeeds. Later during tea, when the PM had gone away, the news reporters gathered around me and one of them asked why the PM was so furious with me. I told him, “Why don’t you ask the PM?” to which one of the reporters said, “We know. It is because you are doing POL inquiry against him.” I also have the PM’s remarks video with me.
All those who know me and have served with me for 30 years just sit back and see the muck being thrown at me. I have a history with good and bad, like every one else, but only the bad is shown around. The good might bewilder you. In my initial days at the NAB when I saw some of the cases being pursued, I cautioned my department not to continue to chase the gunahgars [sinners] but to go after the shiateen [devils], after all, Jannat [heaven] will be fully loaded with gunahgars. And the shiateen here point fingers at the gunahgars so that all appear as one and no distinction remains. And now I am to be counted amongst one of them. After all I have lived 60 years and have had slips and slides on the way.
I have now decided not to respond to any personal allegations and continue my small effort for a better and peaceful Pakistan. If I am to be paraded through the cities with blackened face and it brings only a notch of goodness in the country I have succeeded.
Pray for my guidance from Allah.
Best regards,
SA
13 responses so far ↓
1 Twitter Trackbacks for IB Exclusive: Gen. Shahiz Aziz Speaks Out | The Insider Brief [pakintel.com] on Topsy.com // Dec 17, 2009 at 9:15 am
[...] IB Exclusive: Gen. Shahiz Aziz Speaks Out | The Insider Brief http://www.pakintel.com/2009/12/15/ib-exclusive-gen-shahid-aziz-speaks-out – view page – cached After kicking up a storm in Pakistan with his revelations about the Musharraf government, Lt. Gen. Shahid Aziz speaks exclusively to the Insider Brief. [...]
2 temporal // Dec 17, 2009 at 11:58 am
thank you shahid aziz
let the truth come out
wish you well
3 noman habib // Dec 27, 2009 at 12:15 pm
General Shahid Aziz is not capable of Lying.I have served with him and will endorse his stance in my humble capacity.He speaks the truth about Musharaf and he left NAB because of Musharaf .The allegations about embezzlement are absolutely false
4 Sajid Salim // Jan 24, 2010 at 11:06 am
Subject: He had the Integrity then and now as well.
I retired about 28 years ago from the Baluch regiment; Lt. Gen (r) Shahid Aziz was then a young major in the same unit, which was deployed generally on internal security (IS) duties so we were mostly deployed in Karachi city or interior of Sindh taking care of the law and order situation. In normal peace times, the army units have three to four training cycles, lasting three/ four months each, but this was not possible in those disturbed political times.
One fine day we were ordered to return to Malir for a presentation on normal training activities to the then President and COAS General Zia-ul-Haq. The preliminary discussions and meeting on how to conduct the whole fake procedure, were underway when Maj Shahid Aziz objected to this altogether, saying that “this is not right, when we are not carrying out this type of training these days why should we show this mock training.Since this was an order from the higher authorities we had to go through with it. Different officers were deputed to show the different portions of what is called “cycle of training”. Maj Shahid Aziz was one of them. As I stated earlier the unit was not carrying out normal training at that time and was ordered to put up this mock/dummy training cycle, just to show the President who was accompanied with internal and external media. As the chief approached the officers to ask the details of the training they stated as to how it was carried out, when Gen Zia approached Maj Shahid Aziz and questioned him that it seems that the Sepoys are not well conversed with the training, he replied with great honesty, ” No sir, we have just been ordered to do it, we have not been carrying out normal training, this is just a fake show, the soldiers are not at fault.” this was a good exhibition of character, as is expected from an officer or soldier of any good armed forces.
Once again by resigning as Chairman of NAB he has exhibited good character. In spite of my belief that retired generals and soldiers should not bring themselves into media limelight, instead should follow Gen Macarthur who said ” old soldiers do not die, just fade away’.
No one is perfect, no one is without fault,but I must confess that even in these trying times; Gen Shahid Aziz is a good example of a good soldier and a good Pakistani.
Sajid Salim
5 MAJID AZIM // Jan 28, 2010 at 4:32 am
It was late evening of 29th Aug 1972 when I along with another course mate of mine joined our unit in Dhalia, Chamb Sector. We were received by a young, thin looking smart Offr who was sitting all by himself watching TV and smoking calmly. He introduced himself as Lt Shahid Aziz who later rose to the rank of Lt Gen.
Having known him since then(38 years) I feel proud to have been associated with and served under this dynamic person who is man of integrity and character. professionalism and honesty are the hallmarks of this man. He never cared or bothered about himself but always gave priority to his profession and looked after his under command provided they are honest and on right track.
It is so pathetic and unfortunate that the moment he spoke about the misdeeds and corruption of some persons, few charecterless persons have started throwing slush on him. Ok ,one may not agree with his view point but to doubt his honesty and charecter is ridiculous. He is a man who can sacrifice every thing of his for this country. People (like Malik Riaz) who are blaming him for misappropriation are living in fool’s paradise. Their corupption stories are not hidden from people of this country. No doubt that no one is with out fault, he may have committed some faults too but no one can challenge his honesty. There are so many incidents /stories starting from young Lt to Lt Gen, He (Shahid Aziz) stood above board. Resigning from Lucrative post of Chairman NAB is well known to all. All those who have been associated with him in any rank/ capacity will endorse my remarks. One wishes that in these trying times our country had more people of his charecter and calibre. Well done sir, keep it up, we and our good wishes and of all patriotic Pakistanis are with you in your fight against corruption. Allah be with you.
Pakistan Paindaabad.
Majid azim
6 Brig(r) Tariq H. Khan // Jan 28, 2010 at 11:07 am
I know Lt Gen® Shahid Aziz for the last over 40 years. We were lieutenants together and have served in the same infantry battalion in different ranks and appointments. He was my Second-in-Command when I was the Commanding Officer. I know him as a very upright, honest and a very bold officer with outstanding integrity. He has never hesitated in giving his opinion or taking on responsibility for his actions no matter what the consequences might be. I would like to narrate an incidence when he was a Second-in-Command. During a lunch in the Mess, where other field officers were also present, a lieutenant complained that a major of another unit had abused him using very filthy language involving his mother. The reason was that he was playing the tape recorder in his room very loudly. Shahid and other field officers who were present there, enquired from the lieutenant as to why he had not stood up to the major who was abusing his mother? Hearing this, the young officer got carried away and went and punched that major in his face. It was a very serious breach of military discipline and a Divisional Court of Inquiry was ordered. When the inquiry started, Shahid Aziz, who by this time had become a Lieutenant Colonel and was commanding the Infantry Unit, was not asked to appear in it or to give his statement. After the inquiry, which recommended strict discipline action against the lieutenant, was completed, Shahid Aziz took the Divisional Commander’s interview. He told him that it was not fair to punish the lieutenant as he had reacted to what he had said to him. He further requested the Divisional Commander that if had to punish someone then he should punish him and not the lieutenant! Only an officer of very high integrity can take this stand. Shahid Aziz is one of them. With his integrity, his uprightness and bluntness many-a-times puts him in very tight spots but all those who know him personally know that this is what he is!
7 Tasadduq Mukhtar // Jan 29, 2010 at 2:32 am
Actually putting general’s well regarded image under trial would be a self-defeating exercise for the desperate powers that be. He has such a proud past!
I have known the general for the last 18 years or so and have insights on how he proceeded in various capacities. I believe people generally know how superbly he performed as CGS and later as Corps Comd Lahore and then as Chairman NAB after retirement. The war against India was won even before it was could have started due to brilliant deployment of forces; such superior was the strategy chalked out by Gen Shahid and his team which included the present COAS Gen Kayani who was then DGMO. His cleansing of DHA Lahore of corrupt practices was also a rare feat in years. His performance as Chairman NAB and later graceful exit was also greatly admired in the times when everyone else surrounding Gen Musharraf was vying for lucrative posts and most incumbents, beneficiaries of Musharraf, were playing ingrate double games.
I admire the general for his honesty, faith, and courage. And I am a person whom he once bluntly snubbed for asking a naïve personal favor, the only one I ever asked him, when he was a three star general and our acquaintance was 12 year old. He inspired these qualities as our brigade commander in Okara. His honesty is manifest and well-known in his administrative actions over his entire career. I have an episode to share that avouches for his other two qualities too.
In 1992 rains, a river on the line of control was flooded to unprecedented levels. We had a border post that protruded out and was located right in the middle of that river over remains of a demolished bridge. In the face of a natural calamity, the enemy thought it was time to get even in a sector where it was always beaten; it started firing on that post and its vicinity amid heavy rain. After some time contact with the post was lost and no one was sure about the safety of our soldiers as there was no communication, visual or wireless, for a day or so. This post was under then Lt. Col Shahid’s command. Quickly he realized that a rescue operation had to be launched, which would actually be a very risky affair, if not Mission Impossible. He surprised everyone by volunteering to jump into the river himself and attempt reaching out to the troops.
We all knew, and he knew even better, at that time that he was a sure future general. What he was attempting to do was life-threatening—there was risk of being smashed against the bridge by the fast current of water, or being killed by very heavy enemy firing. This threat became clear when his second in command was hit by a bullet in his chest and martyred the moment he had seen off Col Shahid into the water. Col Shahid survived and accomplished his mission over the next day.
His dare-devil action powered by his unflinching faith and courage inspired all of us for the remaining time in that sector, and indeed for the rest of our lives. No corrupt person can ever imagine offering such supreme sacrifice especially when the future looks so great.
The other day general was a guest speaker in my MBA class at G.C. Lahore. His session got the unanimous endorsement as a best-ever activity they had attended at least in my Leadership course. I hope he continues to come out of his retreat and inspire the young people with his shining past, and vast knowledge and experience.
Making the general a target by the insecure powers that be is ironic, futile, and despicable. Whoever is doing that would in fact expose himself. We need leaders of his inspiring character and it would be someone just like him who would some day rise and save Pakistan from the “sharks” (I hope and pray).
8 Aftab Ahmad // Feb 2, 2010 at 10:25 am
I have known Gen Shahid Aziz for the past 41 years, that too very intimately. From what I have seen and heard during this period, I can say for sure, that he is man of integrity as well as character and would always speak the truth come what may. I have served under him as one of the DGs in NAB and would not hesitate to endorse his achievements, as Chairman NAB, mentioned in his email to Mr. Shaan. Sir, keep up the good work and never let you go down. Good luck and God speed.
9 Salim // Feb 5, 2010 at 11:01 am
I have known the general for last 28 years and served under him twice including his stint in NAB. I don’t intend filling space by nerrating so many episodes thatspeak volumes on his truthfulness, honesty, uprightness, and fortitude. Will only say this that what ever has been said in all above comments is true to the core. Embazzelment by him? NO SIR, NO WAY. He brought total transparrancy in NAB. Yes sure i witnessed and got total support in implementing it. There are many like him. What ever he says is correct. Think why should all talk good of him specially when he is retired. Allah bless him.
10 Aly Yassir // Feb 6, 2010 at 3:46 am
I have been fortunate to have served Gen Shahid Aziz as his personnel staff officer both in the CGS Sectt and later in 4 Corps as well. He is an epitome of honesty and uprighteousness and those corrupt people who are throwing muck at him should first come out of their glass houses!!!!
11 Zafar Iqbal // Feb 14, 2010 at 12:48 pm
I had known General Shahid for last forty five years. We were class fellows in F.S.C. The preceding comments are a true reflection of his strong character. To add I shall quote one incident out of many I observed. During exercise Zarb – e – Momin, Shahid was responsible to establish and maintain an administrative camp for exercise control headquarters. The camp was designed for boarding & lodging of foreign delegations, media personnel & senior officials. One day I visited control headquarter and after my visit I was asked to proceed to officer’s mess for lunch. There I met then Lt. Col Shahid. We sat together and after sometime he asked me to take lunch. I replied we will have lunch together. He said he will take lunch late. I said no problem I can wait. After a little while he again asked me to go for lunch and my reply again was the same. He said he is not well and he may skip his lunch that day. Since we were very close to each other, I said if you don’t take lunch I shall also go back hungry. On my this stance he was perturbed and asked me to come along with him. We sat in a jeep and after a while we were in his regimental officer’s mess. He asked the waiter to lay out the lunch. I was astonished and asked him what was that? He replied “I don’t feel comfortable to eat at a place where I don’t pay”
12 Malik Muhammad Din // Feb 24, 2010 at 7:31 am
me and Gen. Shahid were classmates in Govt Inter-college S-Town Rwp from 1965-67 and were residing in the hostel as hostel boys we sometime used to do mischeif as the young ppl do which was not liked by the hostel warden. one day after a number of such events he reported to the principal who made us all sit down and told us to write all that we knew abt the events we all wrote that we knew nothing abt them Shahid however accepted his involvments in some events but didnt reveal the names of other students for many days, he was pressurised but he refused to giv name of others inspite of the threat of being dismissed from the college, eventually he was expelled from the college and hostel…. much later after efforts of his father he got back to the college he put his future at stake to save his friends future…..i have known the General for 45 yrz and can vouch for his character and uprightness. Shahid is a man of principal and character.
13 TASNEEM AKHTAR KHAN // May 15, 2011 at 3:17 pm
I vividely remember General (R) Shahid Aziz Khan son of Brig (R) Ishaq Alam Khan, from the day he was awarded the Sword of Honor and followed him through now that he was making Media contacts. A true soldier and son of the soil.
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