Mehmed Ali’s promised 15-year service limit was quietly window-dressed.

Evidence

After thinking about it, Mehmed Ali saw the logic of his son’s suggestion and wrote back telling him that he had decided to limit the period to fifteen years! Ibrahim said that he was going to announce this good news to the soldiers thinking that this showed how merciful and benevolent the Pasha was. On second thoughts, however, his father said that this way they would lose a lot of men and suggested that this new system be applied only to the new conscripts and that those already in service be treated as if they had spent five years already. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 1358