Pak Tea House » Army, ISI, Pakistan, Taliban » Servants, not masters!
Servants, not masters!
Salman Latif
While the wounds of Abbottabad’s ‘imperial insurgency’ were still fresh, a debate was going on in the GHQ. For the first time in the history of Pak Army, the Chief was vociferously questioned by the officials who were briefed by him about the entire operation. Some of them went as far as to suggest resignation for the entire top echelon.
The interesting part, however, is that all the questions thrown to the Army Chief General Kayani revolved around the violation of national sovereignty and about the drone attacks. The officers demanded immediate bans on drone attacks and wished to know how could US violate international regulations and launch an attack on our land. Sadly, not one of the officials asked the chief or seemed concerned about the possible presence of OBL. None even commented about it and the entire gathering, in general, didn’t seem to give a damn about whether or not OBL was here – what they were more worried about was US.
The recent operation has opened a Pandora box of questions about the role of army and ISI in Pakistan. Some analysts have bitterly criticized the competence of our equipment and personnel. Yet others have questioned the possible double-game that has been part of our intelligence’s shady politics. And the allegations of later have always stayed with us, especially during the Musharraf era when the war on terror was launched. It is also being rumored that someone very influential in the current democratic setup tipped US about Musharraf’s insincere raids and false intel. And that, more than anything else, smoothed a way at White house for a regime-change consideration.
Whereas army’s role still remains in question, and its competence further in jeopardy after the post-OBL attacks targeting primarily military facilities, what we need to ask ourselves and our army is: what exactly is its role in policy-making and whether or not that’s the right role. For long, the debate has been side-lined and this time, too, the efforts to do so are underway. Huge billboards could be seen erected in nearly all major cities presenting ‘salam’ to the Pak army. And a number of demonstrations have been done thus far commending its role. But perhaps this once, it would be lot more difficult to thwart the critique.
While those officials in GHQ heatedly debated the future of war against terrorism, they never had the slightest clue that they never really were hired for the purpose. Army’s role, as per the constitution, is to guard our borders and ascertain national security. Policy-making was never legally among its jobs. But for so long have we deviated from these definitions that army now considers it a right to define and devise national policies. And to top it, these are done mostly without taking the political government into confidence.
The first thing that should have happened right after the Abottabad operation was to probe that was our army really playing a double-role. Or whether or not there existed rogue elements in ISI. Although these questions were raised, none of them were given much air-time by the popular media which, as always, was in a frenzy of anti-US propaganda. Although N-league yet again danced to the tune of party politics, one of the very positive proposals from it’s end was to bring all things military within the net of accountability. So far, no progress is seen as to that. GHQ continues to live in the delusion of being the rightful policy-maker, it’s officials so very concerned about changing policies. But it’s high time for army to realize that it is an institution to play the servant, not master. It is being paid heftily out of our budget for the sole cause of protecting us. And for deciding policy affairs, we elect people to a different institution called parliament. Once the generals at GHQ realize this, life would be lot more normal and smooth both for the army and an average Pakistani. It’s for the political government to decide whether we have to go on with the war on terror or continue the shady policies that army is famous for. And the army should concentrate more on it’s actual function and stop worrying about national policies. We have enough of those concerned about us already!
Filed under: Army, ISI, Pakistan, Taliban · Tags: Army, GHQ, ISI, Taliban
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The Pakistani army has alway maintained a tradition of senior officers answering questions from junior officers. The questions asked of senior officers in the wake of 1971 defeat would make the questions put to General Kayani pale in comparsion. General Kayani answering questions is not a rare or an unprecedented event as suggested by the author of the article. The problem is not that questions were not asked about the presense of Osama bin Ladin or they were too focused on the violation of Pakistani sovereignity, but that the military is still in denial that its rank and file has been influenced by militant jihadi views and despite the existence of evidence supporting this point of few, the military leadership still thinks such inside support, from the military personnel to the militant outfits, is still a case of limited exceptions.
ciao
This IS THE root cause of all problems Pakistan is facing today……. The servants dictating their masters. The armed forces as per constitution are duty bound and oath bound to follow the command of civilian government. The policies are to be formulated by the parliament.
But unfortunately the parliament is too incompetent and full of inept opportunists. That is why the country has been hostage to military+ politician mafia.
msm writes:
“But unfortunately the parliament is too incompetent and full of inept opportunists.”
The pakistani parliament is not incompetent or inept. They know how to bootlick and serve pak army or Saudi or China or USA (as the case may be) with great efficiency and efficacy. They know how to survive by licking the dust on the boots of these “benefactors”. The parliament of a quislig state can be no better. Those who have generated and taught falsified and self-glorifying narratives of history and an alien imperialist (so-called) religion can do no better than this.
“and the entire gathering, in general, didn’t seem to give a damn about whether or not OBL was here – what they were more worried about was US.”
When Alqaeda and OBL started making statements that their new enemy was Pakistan, there was no national level education of the populace of the nature of the threat or the threatmakers. I assume that the same ostrich stance was also adopted by the policy makers of the armed forces. With that background, perhaps it’s not surprising that no officer was prepared to stick his neck out and challenge the high command as to why OBL was found in Abbottabad. It’s not easy to make oneself unpopular. Even with bombs exploding around us almost daily, the populace seems to be unaware or in denial that the Taliban and Alqaeda are the enemy of Pakistan’s constitution and institutions.
In contrast to the silence on OBL, there are no weazel words by our leaders when it comes to the US threat posed by our ally for the last 63 years. As a result it’s not surprising that the population and officer cadre are focussing on the wrong target. I used to think that this was a result of certain failings of our leadership. Now, I have learnt something new from the strange reaction in the army and in parliament to the killing of OBL; I now believe that people in power are scared of losing their power and kudos by directing their ire at OBL. This points to the power of dangerous and extremist values that now seem to be tightening their noose on the vitality of this land. This insidious power is corroding our leaders ability to speak clearly.
If a nuclear armed Pakistan’s military cadre turn towards extremist views, the world will not sit there and accept this. We will then face an existantial threat not only from extremists but also the outside world. The current developments are extremely concerning. Our leaders need to lead us out of this mess through resolute action against extemism rather than accept it’s ascendancy and tailor their policies to cater for extremist views. A Pakistan overtaken by extremism will replace our current leaders, if it goes unchecked.
to tilsim
It’s too late now. You pakistanis (of all hues and indoctrinations and liberties) have been rowing too near to the waterfall too long. The point of no return is long past. Belittling and bleeding hindus was and still is your major hobby and “pakistan ka matlab” and you forgot everything else as you played that evil game as dictated by your arrogant and heinous arab-god-is-the-only-one ideology.
The emperor or a President of a state is the first servant of the people, folthelwed by others who are in the employment of the State, including Army personnel. There are no masters in a democratic State.
Rex Minor
But you want some 7th century arab god and his agent as your master. You want their primtive book to be your supreme law or constitution or bed-time story book or as the sole textbook for schools and colleges.
Najam Sethi who is usually concise, to the point an honest on TV appeared very subdued when talking about Saleem Shezad’s death. Sethi was almost “understanding” and apologetic about the third degree methods used by government (presumably army) agencies – and sounded like these methods are OK, The TV interviewer was equally eager to say “yes yes yes” to that. Speaking up against the Paki army is a dangerous pastime for Pakistanis.
The army has the guns. The army has the coercive power. Pakistanis must shut their mouths. Or else. But when it comes to opposing the Pakistan army, the “bad taliban” (TTP), India and the US have the coercive power to say what they need to say and do what they need to do.
Getting the pretentious Pakistani army to get off its high horse is not going to be easy. The army lost half the country in 1971 and was not held to account. Patriotism is a word that needs to be wajib ul cuttled in Pakistan because it has committed zina. The Pakistan army claims to be patriotic but has raped Pakistan more than anything else.
‘Its not our war’ and American violation of sovereignty are the two recurrent themes of recent years, as soon as the drone attacks began, and the theme of Imran Khan’s campaign. Questioning Kiyani must have been of the same sort.
The Americans returned to AfPak after 12 years in 2001 for a special purpose-To uproot the structures that made 9/11 possible. How can so many intelligent Pakistanis not see that as long as Pakistan houses the infrastructure that the Americans came there to destroy it is very much their war, and that American violation of sovereignty is only a cover up for Pakistan’s forced collaboration in dismantling that infrastructure.
Another one of the Hegelian contradictions that Feroz Khan should have mentioned in his separate article! Pakistan thinks it needs the infrastructure and the attendant strategic depth against India, but it can’t do that without being a threat to the Americans. And if the militants get their hands on a few nuclear weapons then American and Pakistan will have colluded to threaten India, Pakistan and the US. Is that a contradiction or a management failure? Everybody else can connect the dots; why not GHQ, unless Asma Jehangir is right.
Double Game, Double Cross and Provocative-Pollination (as in East Pakistan) and polyplots have been the hallmark of our ISI+. As far as OBL is concerned, I doubt if any Army, ISI or other highup knew abpout his whereabouts, otherwise $50 Millions (TAXFREE IN PAKISTAN) head-bounty was too attractive to be oblivious about. It is creditable that no US personnel claimed this huge money. But as I have said, OBL was not killed in aBBOTTABAD. hE WAS KILLED eLSEWHERE. tHE mAY 1-2 SHINDIG WAS DESIGNED TO LEAVE THE MARKERS AND SHIFT THE BLAME squarely TO pakistan BECAUSE mic (MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) NEEDS THAT…
what better way to sell overpriced, patented armaments for mass desgtruction (jee aweyaan nnooonnn tol more sales, the wheel kjeeps the priospoerity bandwagon churning, alive and well-well (well!). I in March said at the High Court that venerable (Socalled) Raymond “Alien” Davis was spreading CIA-FBI surrogate network in Pakistan .. Congrats, now THEY have better espionage servicing of Pakistan than our dearly beloved ISI.
I have moved the Lahore High Court to expel Addl Sessions Judge AujLAW Jee and that his lawyering license thereafter be cancelled.
No matter how corrupt and rotten to core our present and past Leadership (voila the geedars!!), re The Abbottabad, the USA ,must apologise for poulling a sgtunt which was not needed and is certainly not appreciated.
Yes, all civil servsnts and our venerable armed forces must act gracefully and sua sponte voluntarily as nation’s servants not master. I agree. But wont kowtowing to our zardaras, gills on hill and nawaz sharrrREEFS, choudhurrys not be muchmuch-much worse??
Heynn Jee, mein kow-ee jhooth bowlay-ya?
And for God’s sake, new jersey is in Einmanabad Bandwagon just don’t dare start the new crushed crusade against avantgarde reformist Iqbal Geoffrey stigmatizing that the maestro never studied law. That may be true in one sense or as another storey scafolded by superior indigenous intelligence.
BUT certainly i have nothing to hide, no deception to catewr, under the carpet or otherwise except their HMV senselessness and innate shame. Pygmies (and their Hertz cutlery) who run around in retired government cars with fancy flagpoles covered up do not impress me even a teeny-weeny bit. I am against make-believe as well as Que Sera Sera Sys. My motto/logo/inspiration is:
QUE SERA SERA(TUL MUSTAQUEEM).
SYED IQBAL GEOFFREY
Student of Kamoke Primary (Taught) School l945-46
KG from Saint Mary’s Junior School in Abbotabad 1944
“A WORLD CLASS PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYER” (The Lahore High Court).
@Hayyer
A very pertinent thoght, why the Americans are here! But would’nt it be simpler and easier to ask the Americans why they are in your country, installed the civilian Govt., compelled Mr Musharaf to leave, and agreed to continue the payments agreed previously with the former military Govt.
Pakistan civilian and military leaders know it as well! Logic which includes speculation is out of date and is a contridiction in itself. If one were to follow Hegel’s philosophical theories, the entire world is a contridiction. The facts are that the Americans have been squarely defeated on the battle ground, politicaly they are bent upon displaying the grand show until the fall of the curtain! They are going to live with the fear and the paranoid for a foreseable period. The use of unmanned drones and T missiles with occasional use of special forces into the perceived enemy territory are the only gadgets left in the arsenal of the declining world power, no longer Super. A nice day.
Rex Minor
The trouble with having reached the top (a k a USA = Rightwing Officialdom of Second Rate Americans , their cream of the crop joins topnotch universities or business enterprises) is that there is nowhere to go
except agogo
downwards,
dive into decline MICkey Mouse MahaRaj.
There are commonalities between the American army and Pakistan army, neither of them have ever won a war on their own? No offence is intended against Pakistan or the USA!! Just an observation!
Rex Minor
yes , Rex Minor, Esquire .. there are commonalities but one thing uncommon between the two supposedly great armies of the world is… this:
American Army had many allies and has no subjects.
Subjects in the sense .. i was born in chiniot (thank God it is no longer in Jhang district) in 1939, thus i have been a British Subject by birth.
Let us overpower the subjects.
Mr Geoffery,
I am not with you on your reference to SUBJECT. No human with dignity is a ‘subject’, ‘Indian’ or an ‘issue’ the denominations which the anglo saxons have in their vocabulary. The word slave, a native and a soldier would be more appropriate definition.
Rex Minor
Mr Geoffery
American army along with its allies have been squarely defeated by the rag tag special forces of the Pashtoon resistance or call the still the talibans,if one will. This has been the fate of all those braves who ventured to occupy the sacred territory of the Pashtoons throughout the known history. Americans are on the run and its allies are making plans to withdraw as well. Pakistan army now has to defend its own territory as well as its reputation, having allied with the looser.
Rex Minor
The military once it took over – in 1958 – tasted first blood. General Ayub had is loyal servant ZA Bhutto as his foreign minister. General Ayub introduced the Pakistan Press Ordinance and destroyed the free press. But that did not stop the uprising against him (possibly financed by the USA). General Ayub left and was replaced by General Yahya who announced ‘free and fair elections’ – something which has happened recently in the Arab countries. The elections were a sham – the purpose was not really to return to civilian rule – it was ensure that politicians do not get along and would reinforce the idea that martial was the only answer. ZA Bhutto was the horse the military backed, Mujib managed to get control of East Pakistan and thus winning the majority vote. But this was unacceptable – because that would mean that East Pakistan would be controlling the affairs of the whole of Pakistan. Bengalis in every service and government department. Bhuttos differences with Mujib were overplayed. Resulting in civil war and war with India. East Pakistan became Bangladesh (in any case East Pakistan was as strategically important for the USA as West Pakistan was against the Soviet Union) and our soldiers surrendered to the Indian armed forces. General Yahya handed over control of Pakistan to ZA Bhutto. No one ever asks the role of General Yahya in the break up of the country and why he handed over the control of Pakistan to ZA Bhutto. Bhutto was removed General Zia took over and Pakistan lost a part of Siachen. General Musharraf took over and terrorism spawned in Pakistan because we were fighting the USA’s war in Afghanistan. Drones have killed thousands of Pakistanis.
Mr Jeddy, well said. It is not difficult to trace the past from the history of Pakistan. The military in modern times have neither the scrupples nor trained to manage and develope a Nation. Pakistan history of military take over was initialy necessary and noble when the Generals had a consensus to refuse the orders of the civilian head of state. He was parceled to England and only then the military introduced the martial law and took over the administration of the country. Mr Bhutto was a maverick. supported the military rule and was considered qualified to take over the civil Govt. Ehat followed thereafer was a mess, Bhutto in and Bhutto out, the game of musical chair a rotation between the military and the civilian. Every chief of staff was of the opinion that they are not less qualified than the civilian leaders.
What in the past has occured, is no longer present, and it is not going to help any one if one laments over it. However, there is nothing against to research the causes of the past happenngs without ignoring the outlook for the future. Pakistan is among the lands of the future, whereas Western Nations are slowly loosing their past glory. The melt down has just started, the Arabs had a long sleep, Now is the time for China, India,Arabs and thers to take the lead so that the people of the world see a hope for the survival of the civilisation. A good day sr.
Rex Minor
to rex minor
Never mention India together with Saudi Arabia or China. India is not
a totalitarian-fascist society or nation like these two.
———–
The arabs will go back to sleep under new more islamofascist dictatorships. The arabs will also become more racist.
———–
Pakistan is a land of the near future (not the far future) as the showplace of destruction, self-destruction and dishonesty only.
———–
Western nations are losing their past glory because of the influx of muslims into western nations.
@Hoib
You are a böse mensch, in near english, a nasty man. I am going to turn my back on you and believe that you have demised.
Rex Minor
What is the point of hot debate going inside the GHQ. The incompetence of the Khaki-clad men should be discussed in a parliamentary ( in or outside) debate headed by the civilians. That is how one can loosen the bear frip of the military on civilian go0vt.
It is about time that everyone should come out clean on the policies which have been followed in the war on terror. The nation should be taken into confidence.