Apologies to all IB readers for my undue absence this week. A host of commitments, primarily work, have kept me away. I’ve also found that much of what’s been creating a buzz in the media hasn’t been that signficant in terms of impact (e.g. Imran Khan’s arrest). Most events, though interesting, will not significantly alter [...]

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President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s gamble appears to be paying off. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry stands sidelined along with some of his recalcitrant colleagues, much of the fractured opposition is either detained or under arrest, and protests have been manageable. Though Benazir Bhutto appears to have entered the fray (now under house arrest), her actions may [...]

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Pakistan is now officially in a state of emergency, under a proclamation issued by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. A Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) has been issued as well by Musharraf in his capacity as COAS — not President. This is similar to October 1999 when Musharraf launched his “counter-coup” [...]

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High level sources report that a major decision regarding President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and his government will be made on November 1st. It’s up in the air as to who’s making the decision and about what exactly, however, we have reason to believe that Musharraf will be stepping down from his post as Army chief. [...]

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Knowledgable sources have indicated to us that tomorrow afternoon, October 2nd (Pakistan time), an announcement will be made revealing Lt. Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s (alt spelling: Ashfaq Kiyani) next role and potentially that of Lt. Gen. Tariq Majeed. This announcement is coming within days of the October 6th presidential elections, where Pres. Gen. Pervez Musharraf [...]

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In light of Newsweek’s recent profile of Lt. Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani (alt spelling: Ashfaq Kiyani) , I updated my profile of Gen. Kayani with exclusive photos of the elusive former spymaster and Pakistan’s next potential Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR KAYANI? As I reported would happen, Maj. Gen. Nadeem Taj was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and named DG ISI, replacing Lt. Gen. Ashfaq Kayani (alt spelling: Ashfaq Kiyani) as the head of Pakistan’s premier intelligence service. Speculation in the media over Kayani’s future role is now hotter than ever, [...]

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A NEW SPYMASTER Highly placed sources report that Maj. Gen. Nadeem Taj, currently the Commandant of the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), will be named the new ISI chief in the coming days, replacing Lt. Gen. Ashfaq Kayani. Maj. Gen. Taj is a trustworthy ally of Pres. Gen. Musharraf’s and has been considered by many to [...]

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