Militants` threats force Kayani to abandon retirement house

Islamabad: Pakistan`s former army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani may have called it a day but still faces threats from militants and hence was forced to abandon his retirement house, a media report said on Friday. Security threats have forced Kayani to leave his newly built retirement home and opt for living near the heavily guarded army house. While he was still in service, Kayani planned to spend his retired life in Islamabad`s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) where he constructed a house with a grey stone finish at a scenic location in Phase 1. Perched on a corner plot, the house continues to stand apart in the housing colony. Its terraced gardens slope down to the River Soan. The plot in front remains vacant. However, security experts felt that the house was a security threat because it was impossible to protect the rear end of the house (where the land sloped down to the river), Dawn daily reported. Although, the house has close circuit television for monitoring the security of the house, this was deemed insufficient. Consequently, Kayani, months before his retirement, started constructing a new house in the heavily guarded and secure neighbourhood of the Army House, the report said quoting a retired army officer living in the same area. According to him, it was chance that a piece of land was lying vacant near the official residence of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Currently, the house is under construction. Some people suggest that the house may be ready in a couple of months. It is also being said that Kayani may stay in the army house till the completion of his new house; in case he needs to move, he will shift into the army guest house which is also situated in the same locality. In his newly adopted neighbourhood, Gen Kayani will enjoy the company of dozens of retired Generals including two former army chiefs Gen Mirza Aslam Baig and Gen Abdul Waheed Kakar. These are not the only properties that the retired COAS is said to own. Sources in the Military Estate Office said he also owns a two kanal piece of land in the army`s officer colony of National Stadium Karachi (NSK) where about 100 army officers own property. The value of the NSK plots may be gauged by the fact that soon after this land was allotted in February 2006, former ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha sold it for Rs 23 million. The military spokesman did not comment on the matter. Brig (retd) Amjad Kayani, a brother of Kayani, when contacted said his brother needed a secure house to live in.