RAWALPINDI (Kashmir English): Former Chief of Army Staff General (Retd) Abdul Waheed Kakar has passed away, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and all ranks of the Pakistan Army expressed deep sorrow over his death, paying tribute to his distinguished military service, leadership, and contributions to the armed forces.
The army chief and military personnel extended their condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that Allah Almighty grant the deceased a place in Jannat-ul-Firdous and give patience to his family.
President and Prime Minister Express Condolences
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the passing of General (Retd) Abdul Waheed Kakar and extended his condolences to the bereaved family. He also prayed for the deceased’s forgiveness and eternal peace.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif likewise expressed sorrow over his death, acknowledging his valuable services to the Pakistan Army and offering condolences to his family.
Who Was General (Retd) Abdul Waheed Kakar?
General Abdul Waheed Kakar was commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment of the Pakistan Army as a Second Lieutenant on October 18, 1959, after completing the 20th Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Long Course.
He received his early education in Peshawar and studied at Edwardes College before pursuing military training at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul. He also attended advanced military training at the Command and Staff College in Canada and studied defence planning and national security at the National Defence College in Rawalpindi.
From 1987 to 1989, he served as Adjutant General at Army General Headquarters (GHQ). He also served with a Frontier Force unit on the Chawinda front in Sialkot.
General Kakar served as Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff from January 12, 1993, to January 12, 1996.
What Was the Kakar Formula?
General Kakar played a pivotal role in resolving Pakistan’s political crisis in 1993, an intervention that became known as the Kakar Formula.
On April 18, 1993, then-President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif under Article 58(2)(b) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court subsequently restored Nawaz Sharif’s government, but tensions between the prime minister and president continued.
Amid the political deadlock, General Kakar facilitated negotiations involving Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Nawaz Sharif and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.
The resulting arrangement led to the resignations of both Nawaz Sharif and Ghulam Ishaq Khan, the dissolution of the assemblies and the formation of a caretaker government ahead of fresh elections.
General elections were held on October 6, 1993. The Pakistan Peoples Party won 89 National Assembly seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secured 73 seats. Benazir Bhutto subsequently returned as prime minister for a second term.
General Kakar’s role in resolving the 1993 political confrontation remains a significant chapter in Pakistan’s military and political history.
