Musharraf kept Kayani in dark on Kargil plan

Islamabad, March 5

Pakistan’s former Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf kept General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the dark about Kargil Operation in 1999 despite the latter heading forces responsible to guard (Pakistan-occupied) Kashmir, a new book by a former general has said.

In his book ‘Ham Bhi Wahan Mojod Thay’, former minister Lt Gen Abdul Majeed Malik (retd) asserts Kayani headed 12 Division that was responsible to guard Kashmir (PoK) but he was not taken into confidence over the operation which brought Pakistan and India on the brink of a nuclear war.

Kayani was later hand-picked by Musharraf as his successor in 2007 as the Army Chief and he served for six years as head of army.

In his book, Malik said General Musharraf did not keep Kayani in the loop, who later opposed the operation. Kayani or Musharraf has not commented on the book yet.

Malik said Musharraf was entirely responsible for the operation and even Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not told about the complete Kargil plan.

Sharif maintains he was cheated by his Army Chief over Kargil. But Musharraf has repeatedly denied it and said the Prime Minister was properly briefed before operation. 

In the book, Malik claimed Musharraf called on phone his Chief of General Staff from China to discuss Kargil Operation which was tapped by Indian intelligence agencies. It was a grave breach of security to discuss such a sensitive issue on telephone call, Malik said. — PTI