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On Monday, <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword>'s army chief said that he would step down at the end of his three-year term in November according to the military's public relations wing, breaking a precedent of military leaders seeking to extend their terms. 
 General <keyword id="1953535" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Raheel-Sharif">Raheel Sharif</keyword> is considered by many to be Pakistan's most powerful man. 
 
Since he took office in 2013, the army has launched aerial and ground assaults against Islamist insurgent strongholds near the Afghan border in the northwest, earning the military bro ad support from a Pakistani population tired of militant violence. 
 
Critics say the crackdown has been selective, going after some militant groups, but leaving others intact. 
 
Elements of Pakistan's army have in the past been accused of tacitly supporting Islamist armed groups that launch attacks in Afghanistan and India as a way to pressure both neighbours. The general has thrown his support behind elected Prime Minister <keyword id="6576" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nawaz-Sharif">Nawaz Sharif</keyword> during anti-government protests, while at the same time solidifying the military's hold over national security and foreign policy. 
 
General Sharif has also presided over a security crackdown in Karachi, the country's largest city, which has sharply reduced murder rates but drawn protests from opposition politicians who say their activists have been targeted. 
 
Under his watch, the military has been give n authority to try civilians suspected of terrorism in secret military courts. 
 General Sharif is said to have been personally involved in efforts to bring the Afghan <keyword id="16945" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Taliban">Taliban</keyword> into peace talks with Afghanistan, though those efforts have stalled. 
 
Speculation that General Sharif would seek to extend his tenure for another term was baseless, the army's public relations wing said in a series of tweets issued on Monday. 
 
"The Pakistan Army is a great institution. I don't believe in extension," he was quoted as saying. 
 
General Sharif's decision would represent a win for democratic institutions, but raises questions on the future of campaigns against militants. No obvious candidate to succeed him has yet emerged. 
 
General Sharif pledged that efforts to combat terrorism "will continue with full vigor and resolve" after he retired, the army tweets said. 
 Pakistan's past two military chiefs had sought extensions of their terms instead of stepping down, with General <keyword id="44240" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pervez-Musharraf">Pervez Musharraf</keyword> staging a coup to topple Nawaz Sharif during a previous term as prime minister. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Will step down at the end of my 3 year term: Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif

The Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has been infamous for hugging his counterparts on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/tale-of-two-hugs-when-narendra-modi-hugged-ashok-gehlot-and-rahul-gandhi-hugged-modi/articleshow/65126908.cms">important</a> state visits or for when they have visited India. In 2018, several Indian politicians seem to be taken in by the power of the humble hug as a political gesture, putting on their own charm offensives. From <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> leader <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> hugging PM Modi in the Indian Parliament to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi hugging Dalit leader Mayawati amid ‘Mahagathbandhan’ strategy, 2018 was spiced up with these hugs or (group hugs). Here were the most head-turning ones: Slugfest or ‘hug’ fest? 
	
	
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) This has to be the biggest moment for <keyword id="35132" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-politics">Indian politics</keyword> for 2018. Congress President and main leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi stunned us with a sudden embrace to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament. He walked up across the aisle during a debate and flung himself into an embrace with the PM, leaving the parliament uproarious with laughter and Twitter with meme-storms. While the prime minister seemed to be <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/narendras-modis-political-weapon-is-jumla-strike-which-has-claimed-many-victims-rahul-gandhi/articleshow/65066316.cms">surprised</a> with the move at first, he returned the favour -- with a hug, ofcourse! What followed was a cheeky wink by the Congress leader. Because it was all captured on camera, it made for a series of memes. India’s main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party took advantage of the moment and tweeted ‘we can not thank you enough for the entertainment.’ 
 
 
 
 
 
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 India-Pakistan and the most controversial hug of 2018 
	
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: twitter/ @DevonG111) This move turned into an unsettling debate and controversy when the Punjab Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/just-a-hug-not-rafale-deal-navjot-singh-sidhu-on-his-hug-to-pak-army-chief-1954150">hugged Pakistan army chief</a>, Qamar Javed Bajwa amid the inaugural ceremony of Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan. In response to the stirring debate, Sidhu reportedly said that it was a ‘1-second hug, and not a Rafale deal.’ He further justified the gesture adding it is intended to foster better trade relations between the two countries. Talking of the Rafale deal, this year Congress has accused BJP of backing Anil Ambani as industrial partner. The controversy around India’s purchase of 36 aircrafts, back in 2016. The perfect frame! Sonia Gandhi sharing a hug with BSP supremo Mayawati 
 
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) During the swearing-in ceremony of chief minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, two opposition leaders were seen hugging each other, which is a rare site in India where Congress Sonia Gandhi affectionately hugged Mayawati, BSP leader. The picture went viral on Twitter fetching mixed responses from users. 
 
 
 
 
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 ‘The Modern Family’ — Vasundhara Raje hugs Jyotiraditya Scindia 
 
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) A the oath-taking ceremony of Ashok Gehlot as the Rajasthan chief minister, a family hug stole all the limelight. BJP’s Vasundhara Raje who was the former chief minister of the state was gracious enough to accept defeat and attended the ceremony. It is where she also hugged her nephew, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is a Congress leader and campaigned in Madhya Pradesh against the BJP. After vigorous campaigning through the assembly elections, the two — Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath — defeated the former BJP leaders in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, respectively.

Here are the most memorable hugs Indian politicians unleashed on their opponents in 2018

A top American expert on South Asia termed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=US-Pakistan+">US-Pakistan bilateral relationship</a> a ‘dysfunctional dynamic’. 
 The <keyword id="3139183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-expert-Michael-Kugelman">US expert Michael Kugelman</keyword> in his opinion piece in The Diplomat magazine wrote that Pakistan takes US aid in billions and buys military hardware and patronise <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=proxy+groups">proxy groups</a>. 
 
"Even as it pockets billions in US aid and takes in tons of military hardware, Pakistan patronises proxy groups that terrorise Americans, Afghans, and Indians," said Kugelman, senior associate for South and Southeast Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. 
 
Kugelman's comments come as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=raheel+sharif">Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif</a> began his five-day visit here. 
 
Kugelman said Husain Haqqani's book 'Magnificent Delusions' made it clear that US officials have long been content to keep the aid flowing while holding their noses and hoping for the best. 
 
"Such an approach is utterly wrong-headed; US aid does not buy Washington leverage over Pakistan. Additionally, US and Pakistani interests are diametrically divergent on the militancy issue," he wrote. 
 
For the US, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=haqqani+network">Haqqani network</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Lashkar-e-Taiba+">Lashkar-e-Taiba</a> are dangerous groups that must be reined in. 
 
"Another possible reason for Washington's continued courtship of a nation that works against American objectives and interests? Fear. The United States prefers to be on the good side of a volatile nuclear-armed nation than on its bad side," Kugelman said. 
 
According to the expert, General Sharif's meetings will feature plenty of discussion about Afghanistan--and how Pakistan can help bring the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=taliban">Taliban</a> back to the negotiating table. 
 
"The United States will issue fresh calls for Pakistan to end its relationships with militants. And through it all, Gen Sharif will receive the full red carpet treatment--as he did on his last trip to Washington," Kugelman said. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

US aid to Pakistan will not buy Washington leverage over Islamabad, says American expert

Although the country has never won a war against <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Pakistan%27s+Army+Chief+General+Raheel+Sharif+">Pakistan's Army Chief General Raheel Sharif</a> has warned India again of 'unbearable cost' in case of war. While speaking at an event organised by army at its headquarters in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rawalpindi+">Rawalpindi</a> on Sunday to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1965 war with India, he said his troops are ready to tackle any long or short misadventure by the "enemy". 
 
"Let me reiterate that our armed forces stand fully capable to defeat all sorts of external aggression. If the enemy ever resorts to any misadventure, regardless of its size and scale - short or long - it will have to pay an unbearable cost," he said. 
 
The remarks were a pointed response to a statement by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+Army+Chief+General+Dalbir+Singh+Suhag+">Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag</a> who said last week that Indian Army was prepared for "swift, short nature of future wars". 
 
"Armed forces of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/5-Parliament-attacks-across-the-globe-that-shook-everyone/articleshow/47787303.cms">Pakistan</a> are fully capable of dealing with all types of internal and external threats, may it be conventional or sub-conventional; whether it is cold start or hot start. We are ready," said General Raheel. 
 
This time the reference was towards India's cold start doctrine of war. 
 Terming <keyword id="6354495" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="kashmir">Kashmir</keyword> as "unfinished agenda of partition", he said that it should be resolved according to <keyword id="603346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="UN-Resolution">UN resolution</keyword> which calls for plebiscite to decide its future. 
 
He also warned that Kashmir cannot be out in the back-burner. 
 The remarks come against the backdrop of heightened tensions and cross-border firing between Indian and Pakistani troops along the <keyword id="6355098" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="LoC">LoC</keyword> recently. 
 
"I reiterate the resolve that we shall not relent until all <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/5-Parliament-attacks-across-the-globe-that-shook-everyone/articleshow/47787303.cms">terrorists</a>, their financiers, abettors, facilitators and sympathisers are brought to justice," he said. 
 
He also assured <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Afghanistan+">Afghanistan</a> of support in creating peace and said that <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> made "concerted and sincere efforts for bringing peace in Afghanistan but certain inimical forces are bent upon undermining our efforts." 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

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Will step down at the end of my 3 year term: Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif

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Here are the most memorable hugs Indian politicians unleashed on their opponents in 2018

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US aid to Pakistan will not buy Washington leverage over Islamabad, says American expert

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Pakistan does it again! Its army chief warns India of 'unbearable cost' in case of war

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