In 1999, Major-General Kiani was the Director-General of the Military Intelligence when the Kargil fiasco took place with the Indian Army. When India mounted counter-attacks on Pakistani forces incursion in the Kargil sector, Major-General Kiani prepared presentation and briefed then-Prime minister Nawaz Sharif, which according to him, had nothing to do with Kargil conflict, on 12 March 1999. During the event from May to July 1999, Major-General Kiani had given presentation to Joint Chiefs Staff Committee every single week on the conflict, and had given presentation to Prime minister only three times on the conflict.