Kiyani, the vice chief of army staff, is poised to succeed Musharraf when he hangs up his uniform and becomes a civilian ruler if the Supreme Court ratifies his October 6 re-election as president.

A ruling on the matter is expected as early as this week.

With Musharraf battling an unprecedented crisis following his declaration of a state of emergency in the nuclear-armed nation, Kiyani's role will be crucial in a country where the army holds most of the cards.

Musharraf handpicked the former spy chief for his loyalty and laughed off rumours that spread earlier this month that Kiyani had placed him under house arrest due to dissatisfaction at the emergency decree.

The affable yet reserved Kiyani, 55, could however play a key part behind the scenes in helping to resolve the political crisis and Musharraf's own fate.

He is not only a former aide to opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, he also has good relations with Musharraf's increasingly impatient backers in Washington.

Bhutto has openly urged Musharraf to quit altogether while reports have emanated from the United States that Washington is making contingency plans for a Pakistan without him.

Former general turned political analyst Talat Masood told AFP Kiyani was a "professional soldier and highly regarded in (the) military. The leadership of (the) military is passing into the right hands."

Masood said loyalty was also a factor in Kiyani's appointment to run the 500,000 strong military, currently engaged in battling Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants along the Afghan border.

He added that Kiyani would likely be a "healer" in the country's growing military-civilian split, but cautioned that if the political situation gets worse "they (the military) have to apply their own minds."

Security officials and analysts described Kiyani as quiet and easy to get along with.

"He is a very good listener -- speaks less thinks more," one official said.

He is a rarity in Pakistan's often privilege-dominated society, being the son of a junior officer from Jhelum, a city in Punjab province where the army draws much of its manpower.

As the son of a junior officer from Jhelum, a city in Punjab province where the army draws much of its manpower, he is a rarity in Pakistan's often privilege-dominated society.

Kiyani was formerly head of the Rawalpindi Corps, whose 111 Brigade was responsible for leading most of the coups in Pakistan's military-dominated history.

In 2004, Musharraf appointed Kiyani as head of Inter Services Intelligence, or ISI, which is engaged in the hunt for Al-Qaeda militants as well as providing internal security.

He was partly responsible for dealing with Kashmiri militant groups as they wound down Pakistan's proxy war against India over the divided Himalayan territory, analysts said.

Army biographies say Kiyani is a keen sportsman, as well as president of the Pakistan Golf Association. He is married and has a son and daughter.

A military statement said he joined the army in 1971 and commanded several infantry units. He is a graduate of Fort Leavenworth military college in the United States, among others.

He served as Bhutto's deputy military secretary during her first term in power from 1988-1990.

Musharraf put Kiyani personally in charge of the investigation after two assassination attempts on his life in December 2003, incidents in which both Al-Qaeda and rogue members of the armed forces were implicated.

In his autobiography, "In the Line of Fire", Musharraf praised Kiyani's ability to get Pakistan's often fractious intelligence agencies to pull together.

"When Kiyani got tough, the problems of coordination disappeared and the agencies started working like a well-oiled machine," Musharraf recalled.

Related Links
News From Across The Stans

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News