I AM a PAF man of 1957 vintage, and am a veteran of both the 1965 and 1971 Pakistan-India wars and was fortunate enough to earn a decoration in the former for ‘services rendered to Pakistan’.

Despite my modest rank, I remained a confidant of an air chief and learnt about many intricacies of the power game at the highest level. I witnessed how flattery and sycophancy, often audacious and outrageous, were accepted most readily and relished wholeheartedly. Egos were inflated unabashedly and Caesar was most gratified.

Probably the worst type of this otherwise sickening charade was to sow the syndrome of the indispensability of the czar and to paint him as the best and only one to hold the throne forever. This was an open invitation to the incumbent to seek, solicit and secure an extension and then another one not realising how many gems were ignored in the process.

Now one sees the same coterie of misguided adventurers trying their various ploys to entice Gen Raheel Sharif. I am an octogenarian and have seen all and suffered all. I urge the General to tell such nobodies a loud and clear ‘no’ and go on his way with honour and dignity.

Agha Khalil Ahmad

Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2016