PAKISTAN ARMY IN POLITICS

The subjective feelings to taste the lust of power may be one of the reasons that the Generals in Pakistan army ruled the country in uniform without any problem for a long period of its life. But during the spells of civilian rule in the middle their presence was quite distinctly palpable. One thing we must bear in mind that they might have handed over the chairs but never the “power”.

It is a wrongly perceived idea that there is a trio of Pakistan establishment. There is only one and one institution that holds the power and that is army. I am trying to avoid the word, “democracy” and use the word civilian rule, as there has been no democracy in this unfortunate country since it’s conception. The civilians have been voted to chair but the right of authority has never changed hands. It has always been the Devine right of the army, and still is.

It will be unfair to squarely put the blame on armed forces. The civilian leadership was inept and incapable to have a vision to rule the country.

They were politically on shaky grounds. Initially the leadership and civil servants were all imported. They had no roots in masses and were running the country on whims and trying their level best to avoid the institutions or for that matter the involvement of the masses. Their mental make up was that of despots. As despot always view their wisdom superior to collective wisdom.

Initially they needed the good will of the army which was mainly Punjabi dominated. It was an uneasy cohabitation between the imported civil servants and local Punjabi army. This situation existed till Punjab became the sole supplier of the both.

The shaky civilian government took refuge in the army and army in turn sought refuge in US support. The army since then is the more than a major stakeholder in power.

Democracy never had a take off. This alien idea was not given a chance to take its root in the soil of this newly proclaimed state.

Some times it really wonders me that why we Muslims have no a real democratic state that is by the people, of the people and for the people, to encompass the full definition of the democracy in it’s totality.

Though there is no Islamic State in the world but the Muslim dominated countries are all under the clutches of despots, dictators, kings and sheikhs.

Going back to the caliphate era, three out of four caliphs were martyred. It seems there is no mechanism of peaceful transition of power.

In my view the Muslim rulers diluted and ‘customised’ Islam to suit their own interests. Immediately after the Prophet’s death the tug of war for power started. The Caliphs had enormous powers. They were the chiefs of the army, the Jurists and rulers. But there is no doubt that they had the prescribed qualifications to be the Caliphs and were answerable to the Consultative Bodies. Their honesty was never in question.

Later on despots in the name of the religion ruled the Muslim masses. They neither had the strength of character nor were answerable to the consultative bodies. Nor an ordinary citizen could dare to question them. In fact they retained the powers of the Caliphs and flung away the qualification required to be a Caliph. The style is altered but the essence is retained.

It is my candid opinion that the downfall of the Muslims owes its root to the failures of their colonial surrogate rulers. Not a single state except Afghanistan has retained its independence during two world wars.

Majority have gained independence because the colonial power lost the strength to manage them any more. Those who fought for independence lost their gains to the opportunists and cronies of the colonial powers. The people of vested interest hijacked the movements. The same game is in progress in the present Arabs awakening.

In this desperation the clergy got opportunities to introduce terrorism in the world political body. The state terrorism of the west was the most potent stimulant to the mushroom growth of the shadows of terror.

Pakistani rulers had no vision or political acumen to see beyond the tip of their nose. They had neither been through the process nor had the wisdom to see the future. Pakistan is the shining example of this myopic vision and dare I say moral muteness? There is hardly any important issue that is decided in the country. There is hardly any state secret. Still we blow fire and fooling the masses that being a nuclear power we can blunt the teeth of US administration. The same silly nuclear capability is now a liability for the country.

We are least bothered by the sovereignty of the land but space is more important to us. We have shut all facilities to US forces and COAS went to the extent to order to shoot down any plane that violates our air space.

For the last one week the old game is on unabated. This is what we wanted to avoid. We were pleading that diplomatic channels should sort out the conflicts. Under the pressure of sectarian parties and political parties to the right forced the Military and civil leadership to give in and put the credibility and competence of the army at stake.

The country was destabilised further internally and externally isolated. Impulses do not work in international diplomacy. It is the logic that is heard. One should juggle with the domestic strengths and weaknesses to formulate the foreign policy.

One must take his own strength realistically before taking a belligerent position and then backing out. It is more humiliating than silence and wait for an opportunity. A quiet diplomacy keeps the enemy guessing and domestic limitations buried. But adventurism exposes every thing but unfortunately it is our national character. To some of us the integrity of the country is secondary to political scoring.

The whole system was made to derail. The institutional confrontation shook the basis of civilian rule. All the politicians stand naked in front of the armed forces and the armed forces were unjustifiably exposed internationally.

Have we alternative to Americans? China cannot be alternative. If it is able to make a difference it will not be instantaneously but possibly in a distant future. We are in urgent need to put our house in order and increase the Military muscles if it is really needed.

This is not a rented out country any more, as was put to PJ Mir by a western news analysts. It was in that state during Ayub times. Gen. Zia and Musharraf have mortgaged it. We have a small cleavage diplomatically to manoeuvre politically.

There is a complete confusion who runs our foreign policy, arrange foreign loans and provide security. There are two many wise men to distribute the work. But it seems that none of them know their responsibility but have masterly command on the other’s sphere. As put so nicely by Bertrand Russell "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt."

This is my honest belief that the problems of Pakistan stems from this confusion. No strength of a single pillar in a country can guarantee the smooth running of the government. Every one has to remain in its own jurisdiction. The country cannot afford opportunism any more. If some are determined to experiment with reality they must realize that the experience is a good teacher but the fee is too high. Are they ready for that price? 


PAKISTAN IN DEEP CRISIS.

By: khurshidalam44@hotmail.com Dated: 16^th January 2012 London.

It is consoling to the mind that we have still some political leaders to diffuse the situation to avoid the sad demise of Pakistan. Though we have yet to give up the habit of giving certificates of patriotism.

Some, shut their eyes to the very fact that constitutional jurisdiction of the institution is secondary to the death of the state.

It is true that mere holding election does not encompass the definition of democracy. It just defines the government by the people but not for the people and of the people.

But it does not mean that one should derail the process, but to let the people get educated and force the government to incorporate “for and of the people”. It needs time and allow the process to take its due course. Literally there was no opposition to the Indian Congress in Indian parliament till early eighties. But with the passage of time it grew up.

Adventurism is no alternative to a limping march towards the full democracy. Maturity of the masses cannot erupt over night like a daffodil of the spring. It needs literacy, education, and ultimately ‘Jail breaking’ their minds.

The adventurism is the hallmark of our history of 63 years. Quite sadly, undemocratic manoeuvres stems from the days of M.A.Jinnah.

As Dr. Tahir Gora has rightly said in his book, Jinnah took most of the undemocratic steps during his very short life after the proclamation of Pakistan. His option to be in the Governor slot and conducting the Prime Ministerial role, dismissing the successive governments in different provinces were all indicators for the future set up of the so called Islamic State. It was concept of caliphate rather than a modern democratic state.

In a caliphate there are also some qualifications to be a Caliph those were put

aside. The very creation of Pakistan was without a vision of the future. Subsequently every change was in the same direction. Every one is naked in this foul play. Military or civilian despot ruled the country. The ideology of Pakistan was used as a dogma that was strictly followed to deal with the opposition and to save the chairs.

Kakool produced more politicians than all universities combined. Every change was the change of the men not of the minds. The basic aim was the same, to strengthen the dogmatic status quo and ultimately suffocate the logical approach. The sword led the book; logic was forced to follow the impulse. The impulsive led the crowed into unknown and unchartered waters.

Ayub martial law was proclaimed to stop the election in 1959 and avoid the landslide defeat of Muslim league at the hands of Awami League and NAP.

Ayub violated his own made constitution and instead handing over power to the speaker brought in Yahya.

Bhutto as Civilian Martial Administrator followed Yahya. It is a rape of the history to give the total credit of 1973 constitution to him. It was the serenity of the opposition of that time who did not use the precedence put by Bhutto himself and opted for making a new Pakistan with a constitution.

There was no question that Bhutto rigged the election, though he was winning the election but all that was done to get two third majority. It paved the way for Zia to proclaim another Black Law.

To break the backbone of PPP in Sindh he created a Mafia of MQM. The failure of PPP and Muslim league to deliver some good to the people, Musharraf stepped in. Musharraf stepping in was the total failure of Nawaz League to bring the required changes in the constitution in spite of having two third majorities. Instead he resorted to most undemocratic ways and means?

If we cast a bird eye view on the sequence of events it was the lack of vision on the part of politicians who invited the army. The army strengthen their place by entering in to different strategic pacts with Americans. The civil bureaucracy transformed itself to autocracy to match the mentality of the army and work in harmony. The institutions were made irrelevant.

The judiciary went a step ahead to offer their loyalty to the nucleus of power by surrendering its independence. It is a chain of events that makes the history of Pakistan that brought us to this sad state of existence.

Every institution is sticking to its gun. The politicians of right wing have thrown the bone of contention that has brought the institutions into direct confrontation.

All the institutions are radicalised and politicised and have ridiculed themselves. Army still demands its “say” in political affairs whether it is Kerry Lugar bill or Memo Scandal. NRO is the brainchild of the army but the punishment is being given to the beneficiaries.

The judiciary may be free but the neutrality of the Jurists is having a big question mark. A layman like me can smell the rotten and can see the partisan attitude. Only an insane would believe that the thinking of a full bench of the epic court is total consensus. Unless the CJ is running the court, on the same pattern as the COAS of military. The court has forgotten that its new gotten freedom owes to the blood of many innocent political worker of ANP and PPP and particularly to Benazir.

The politicians have learnt nothing from the past or too dwarf to learn. They lack vision and acumen without any shred of a doubt.

The army has failed to preserve the sanctity of the sovereignty of the land but is trying to re-assert their lost credibility to hit hard on the beleaguered government.

Is memo scandal more lethal to the integrity of the country than the breaches in the defence lines of GHQ and Naval head quarter? Does the military leaders respect carry more sanctity than the places they are suppose to protect.

The free journalism has already passed the verdict on the government of being guilty with no right to appeal.

Constitution determines the jurisdiction of each pillar. But it is note worthy that is being applied to the government on regular basis but some how other pillars escape or considered run by angels, not vulnerable to commit any mistake? There has been hardly a month that has passed without a scandal.

The parliament has been made disabled by the opposition not to take its seat and has opted to be represented by a proxy opposition.

Was the statement of the PM in the parliament really unconstitutional? Was a serving general not supposed to take his permission while going on spying visit? In a parliamentary government is the president not the Commander In Chief of the army. Why the army leadership refused to give him the protocol he was entitled for? Is it not the violation of the rules?

The attitude is the reflection of the intentions. Does it not apply to the army, judiciary and press? Why the parliament is the only target? Why are we shy to experiment with truth?

Why the CM of Punjab was not served a contempt of court? Why Nawaz Sharif was not asked that when he threw the unanimous resolution of the provincial house to rename the N.W.F.P. in waste paper bin while the verdict of the same house was honoured to nominate his crony Mr Tarar to the presidential slot?

Is it to fool the public?

In one breath it is claimed by Nawaz League that any unconstitutional step will be resisted while paving the way for their intervention.

To have the emergency meetings of Jurists and Core Commanders is considered a norm but to recall of the parliament is abnormal. Is it not perplexing?

In this backdrop it seems that it is not a federal form of government but a unitary style of government to safeguard the interest of the elites of Punjab and retain the name of Pakistan for international political convenience.

The rape of history, which started with the creation of Pakistan and is being pursued in words and spirit till today? Why not to bloody confess it?

PAKISTAN PLUNGED IN TO CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS.

Khurshidalam44@hotmail.com Dated: 5^th January 2012 London.

Pakistan sunk once again in to deep political and constitutional crisis. All the five pillars of the state have declared their total independence even if it is at the cost of the integrity of the country, just after 4 years of Military Rule. The fifth pillar that is usually ignored, is the opposition in the parliament popularly known as shadow government. The shadow PM has refused to allow his shadow to sit it in the parliament unless he is physically on the treasury benches.

The country as a whole has been so extremely radicalised that there is hardly any institution that can be given a benefit of doubt. The underlying philosophy of the armed forces all over the world is, do or die. But in Pakistan the same philosophy is even pursued by Judiciary. The CJ is just like COAS in the army and the judges are the core commanders. The judiciary is ‘free’ but the Jurists have to obey the command. I am really surprised of such conformity of thoughts and semblance of thinking processes across the board. Even during Zia times there was one dissident note of Justice Safdar Shah in the case of Late Z.A.Bhutto. It reflects the castigation inside the judiciary that is far ahead of military establishment.

It is interesting to note that this very institution was the first to sell its independence just after the proclamation of Pakistan. The Judiciary would have never seen independence, if the black coat movement had failed. There are many political pundits to rob the black coats of its historical achievements. This sort of foul play and distortion of history is a day light norm in Pakistan. It was that movement which shepherded independence not only to judiciary but to politicians as well.

The tug of war was going between the government and Judiciary for quite a while but the crisis were not so stark as the chief of the armed forces was playing a pacifying role. As soon as the judiciary found that the iron is hot and it is the time to bang hard they did it with full vigour.

As I said that judiciary surrendered its independence to civilian rulers after the birth of Pakistan and the politician were responsible to invite the army to share power with them. The reason was their lack of confidence and sense of insecurity. This feeling of insecurity stemmed from the very fact that the imported leadership had no constituencies and hence no sense of accountability. They were on shaky grounds. They conceived in petty handicapped manner, that the country should be ruled by impulses and subjective whims rather by institutions. The present crisis is the culmination what our great leaders did to this country to safe guard their own interests from time to time.

Pakistan relations with US were never turbulence free. They invested in Pakistan for their national interest and the main beneficiary was always the army. It was no secret that US considered the Pak army as the most allied ally of US administration. Internally there was no alternative to challenge this naked interference. Gradually we lost the ground sovereignty of the country to US. US were taken up by surprise to see such violent reaction to the air Sovereignty. It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the differences erupted between Pentagon and GHQ in Islamabad. The sequence of events was such that they could not be covered any more. Military leadership did not like to appear before the parliament but could not ignore the pressure of the public and media. The relation between the army and civil government came under strain. The opposition and judiciary joined hands to hit harder in this cleavage.

The fledgling civilian institutions were brought to direct collision. They are sticking to their guns. It appears that unless some hidden hands intervene into the situation, our present leadership can’t diffuse it. It seems that judiciary and Nawaz League is decided to settle their score and is not ready to tolerate the however impotent civilian rule for a year, and would rather allow a potent military rule, yet for another decade. It is classical ‘Déjà vu’ to indirectly invite the military. Army has never been out of politics but they are the masters whether in uniform or in Shirwani with Jinnah cap. The scapegoat is poor Haqqani. We hope that he is allowed to live for a while to see the end, which is unfortunately least likely.

It will prove once again that no one is tolerated from the small provinces irrespective of one’s mental knacks. It is a special mind set that is required to rule the country. This well tarnished mind-set is the offspring of the ideology of Pakistan, a dogma not to be questioned, critically examined, or logically assessed.

The result will be the abrogation of the constitution and introduction of a unitary system once again. The struggle of small provinces will start from the scratch again should Pakistan survives.

This is not an unexpected or unimaginable in Pakistan. This is the only country where civilians invite military to rule, where sweets are distributed on military take over, where judiciary has voluntarily surrendered its independence. Where personal vendetta has priority over the country’s integrity.

I fail to understand why the people of Pakistan are much infatuated by egoism. This big headedness has cost them to loose the very logic of its creation.

Whether it is our army or Judiciary they are all radicalised and are shut to reason. The present front on collision with their master will cost them dearly. The two institutions are highly politicised along radicalism. This is the only country that is demanding respect for service rendered by its rulers to their masters.

The army has lost professionalism, the judiciary is partisan, and the majority of lawmakers are a bunch of those who have failed to achieve anything in any other fields. They are shut to logic and never learn from the past. They are the drivers who never look in the mirror to see the past or side mirror to see who is overtaking. They are so immune to accidents that they never remember them.

Internationally we are isolated. We are neither reliable friends nor dependable allies. Internally we have no policy and the cornerstone of our external policy is to oppose anything that India supports. They are amnesic to the past, and blind to the future. Probably we have borrowed this from great communist King Mao who said that oppose any thing and every thing done by Americans otherwise you are a revisionist.