Kayani, Pasha on the way out?

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Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani are “seriously contemplating” removal of powerful army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

“The government is considering removal of Gen. Kayani and ISI chief Lt.

Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha in one swift stroke,” a senior government official privy to the developments said, adding, “The PPP government wants to make it remains in charge, not the army or ISI.”

Tension between the army and the government had reached alarming proportions last week but the two sides were able to reconcile with Prime Minister Gilani and Gen. Kayani issuing friendly statements.

The PPP government had given a full three-year extension to Gen. Kayani a year ago. ISI chief Lt. Gen. Pasha is also on a one-year extension.

The last time a political government (led by Nawaz Sharif) tried to sack an army chief (in 1999), it resulted in a military coup.

The government’s extreme unhappiness with the two officers is now an open secret. Not only are they being held responsible for forcing Islamabad to adopt an extremely harsh stance towards Washington after the Salala massacre, the two also adopted an opposing stance to that of the government in the memo affair.