The political impasse we have
gone through during last few months in the country with protesting groups of
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek
(PAT) by Dr. Tahirul Qadri, observing sit-ins at capital city of Islamabad,
blocking sensitive Red Zone area and threatening vital government buildings not
only cast negative impacts causing fretful anxiety for all segments of society
but embroiled various state institutions. The demonstrations have been prolonged
and extended unnecessarily, as the government of PML (N) led by Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif could not grab the initiative to settle the issue through peaceful
dialogue due to its lethargic strategy.
Failure to initiate a dialogue and a weak approach to use force against the
protesters resulting into killings in Islamabad by the Police including assaults
on the reporters and vehicles of the private TV channels have further spoiled
the situation. The use of force by government engendered the demonstrators who
remained peaceful for several days, removed barriers and reached very close to
the buildings of Prime Minister House, Parliament and Pak Secretariat, while
entering the main building of the Pakistan Television’s headquarters. But
surprisingly ware vacated simply on a request of the personnel of Rangers and
Pak Army without any violence which showed a trust of masses over the
impartiality of army.
Unfortunately, when the political crisis intensified, some politicians and most
of the media anchors have continuously misguided the general masses by pointing
out that democratic system might be derailed, and martial law could be imposed
in the country. Some of them played a controvert role in contriving the entire
multitude of political standoff between the government and the protesting
parties. By manipulating the political turmoil, created by the politicians, they
have blamed that Army and intelligence agency, ISI scripted the protest
Islamabad.
Even the protesters also gave impression during the mien of happenings that they
were at hoodwink of someone in the establishment that although proved wrong
latter when PAT out of blue concluded the sit in. In this context, by taking
strong exception of false allegations, a statements of the Inter-Service Public
Relations (ISPR) time and again categorically rejected assertions that the Army
and ISI were backing PTI and PAT in any way in the current political standoff.
Army is an apolitical institution and has expressed its unequivocal support for
democracy at numerous occasions. It is unfortunate that army is being dragged
into such controversies but integrity and unity of the army is its strength
which it upholds with pride. It is an ugly attempt to spoil civil-military
relations in the country while in past it was blamed to mastermind the IJI to
obtain the results of its own will and its present desire to stay away is being
neglected.
Army maintains a totally neutral and entirely impartial stance. It was, however,
deeply concerned on prevailing political turmoil. Meanwhile, the ISPR press
release regarding the corps commanders meeting held on August 31, reaffirmed
support to democracy—the conference reviewed with serious concern, the existing
political crisis and the violent turn it has taken. The statement, once again
reiterated that the situation should be resolved politically through dialogue,
without recourse to violent means.
The government also handled recklessly when it sought Army Chief’s help. In
fact, the government itself pulled the Army in politics when, Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif asked Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to intervene
and play his role in resolving the ongoing political crisis. In a good faith
Gen. Raheel Sharif met Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri, but he did not meet Prime
Minister Sharif when the latter backed out of his statement, saying in the
National Assembly that neither the government nor the Army has asked to play any
role of a mediator to bring the current political crisis to an end.
As criticism mounts over the government’s seemingly desperate move to involve
the military in the present political crisis, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told
the parliament that it was Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan who requested a meeting
with General Raheel Sharif. On the same day, both heads of the PTI and PAT, Khan
and Qadri remarked that the government’s claim that they had requested Army to
mediate is nothing, but a blatant lie. Besides, ISPR unequivocal statement
verified that the army chief was playing the role of facilitator for resolution
of the current crisis at the request of the government.
Moreover, contradiction of Prime Minister Nawaz was further exposed when the
Federal Minister Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also justified
military’s involvement as the only option out of the deadlock, saying that the
government had asked the army chief to play his facilitative role. In wake of
the political uncertainly, join session of the parliament started on first week
September. In their fierce speeches, while, indirectly criticizing army, leaders
of PML (N) and some other parliamentarians said that they would oppose any move
which could derail democracy in the country.
Undoubtedly, democracy has displayed its success in the west, but, it has proved
to be fruitless in Pakistan. Therefore, it is generally said that “any
instrument can be misused.” Pakistan’s politicians and media have always claimed
that they nourish democratic ideals, but, we could not establish this system on
a strong footing due to irresponsible approach of our political entities and
media.
Even Imran Khan who previously mention some Empire whosoever he is, strongly
denounced such accusations, remarked that he never sought Army and ISI help to
resolve political issues, adding that he never supported martial law, and always
struggled for democracy. Again in his current demand he wants military personnel
as member in commission to probe rigging charges in 2013 elections along with
judiciary is totally a wild goose chase as army may never accept such a role.
At this critical juncture, our Armed Forces are successfully obtaining their
objectives in FATA and North Waziristan Agency (NWA) through military operation
Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists who had challenged the writ of the state, and
had frightened the entire nation by their terror-acts. Besides helping the
Internally Displaced Persons in the area, our security forces are engaged in
coping with the militants’ subversive activities in Balochistan, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi and other parts of the country including tribal areas.
Externally, Pak Army and Rangers have boldly been responding to India’s
unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir including Working Boundary
in Sialkot and other sectors, and have also been facing cross-border terrorism
from Afghanistan side, encountering heavily-armed militants who from time to
time, target check posts of the Army, and other civil and military
installations. So, Army does not want to involve in political issues. In this
context, the mediating role of Army and Javed Hashmi’s statement was
acrimoniously politicized which brought embarrassment for Army high command and
caused delay in resolution of the crisis.
It is mentionable that external elements like India are keenly studying the
developments, taking place in Pakistan and are preparing wicked schemes to
damage Pakistan’s interests. Having cancelled scheduled secretary-level talks
with Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that Pakistan was
too weak to fight a conventional war, ceasefire violations along LOC—and least
mentioning about Indian desire to conduct business and trade with Pakistan.
Army as a prestigious institution fully supports the democratic system and
averts all skepticism of derailing democracy. Such thoughts are ugly in nature
and must not be attributed towards pro-democratic Army. Although Army is
concerned about the prevailing political turmoil, yet it maintains a totally
neutral and entirely apolitical stance. Therefore, sense must prevail upon those
who tend to shift the blame on Army and ISI. As these hostile internal entities
have failed in resolving the ongoing grave crisis, they have been dragging Army
in politics. (ENDS)