In a significant move, Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Friday announced a major shake up in the army hierarchy that spurred speculations that he has already picked up his successor.

Musharraf promoted six Major-Generals as Lieut-Generals and named new chief of the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and commander of key Ten Corps Rawalpindi. However, he withheld announcement of the fresh assignment for the incumbents who are believed to be in the run for the two top posts in the army.

Major-Gen Nadim Taj, who has been promoted as Lieut-General, will be the new director-general of the ISI replacing Lieut-Gen Ashfaque Kiani. Major-Gen Mohsin Kamal has been promoted and replaces Lieut-Gen Tariq Majid as commander of Ten Corps Rawalpindi that has been key force in every military takeover in the country’s history.

The new assignment of Kiani and Majid was not announced implicitly confirming reports that Majid will be new army chief and Kiani will be named chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), a cosmetic post coordinating operations of all three services, the navy, army and air force.

Apart from Kamal and Taj, four more Major-Generals Javed Zia, Jamil Haider, Shujaat Zamir Dar and Muhammad Asghar have been promoted and posted in GHQ.

Nadim Taj, an immigrant from Bihar has been main interlocutor with PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto while he was director-general of military intelligence. Kiani, who belongs to Pothohar region around Rawalpindi, had recently replaced Taj in negotiations with Bhutto. Media reports have indicated that Bhutto was also asked to give her preference in the impending changes in the army.

Musharraf has promised to quit army post soon after presidential election due on October 6 and before taking fresh oath of office after election on November 16. There are strong speculations that he will announce changes in the army on October 7, a day before JCSC chairman Gen Ehsanul Haq and Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ahsan Aslam Hayat, will retire. Both have already begun traditional dining out trips to various formations.