Gen Kiyani assumes vice army chief office

Islamabad, Oct 8: General Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani today assumed charge as vice chief of army staff, days after the Pakistan government named him as successor of General Pervez Musharraf as the army chief.

Gen Kiyani arrived in the army's General Headquarters in the garrison town of Rawalpindi this morning to assume his new charge.

He was given guard of honour by smartly turned out army contingent.

Later, he was introduced to Principal Staff Officers of the GHQ.

The government had appointed Gen Kiyani, the former chief of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) as vice army chief early this month. An official announcement had said that he would become army chief on vacation of office.

Gen Musharraf, who easily won presidential election over the weekend, in absence of members from leading opposition parties from assemblies, has already announced to step down as army chief before taking oath of the office of president for the next term.

Members of all opposition parties except Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had resigned en bloc from national and provincial assemblies in protest against Gen Musharraf's decision to get himself re-elected for second term.

While Gen Musharraf was unofficially declared successful, notification was not issued on directives of the Supreme Court with regards to two legal appeals challenging legality of Gen Musharraf's candidature.

UNI