Friday, January 20, 2012

Pak Govt avoids confrontation with military

It is a foregone conclusion that the civilian government of Pakistan can not antagonize its military establishment. It avoided confrontation with its military. Pak leadership of the democratically elected government can not have the influence so strong and abiding on the people of Pakistan that it could draw strength from them. Its leadership is itself on week wickets. That is why it had to back track after asserting for a few days because of the eruption of Memogate scandal over its military.
Pakistan military has always enjoyed strong backing from the hardliner section among the people. The Pakistan government has no intention of taking any action against army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the country's top law officer informed the Supreme Court against the backdrop of a standoff between the civil administration and the military.
Pak military can not remain aloof from the activity of the government. It has strong say, especially, in the formulation of policies in regard to India. Pak-India relation occupies the major portion of Pak foreign relations. Pakistan Government can not take any decision in relation to India without taking into confidence its military leadership. And it is because of this that despite making serious effort by the civilian governments of both the neighbouring countries, relations between the two have never been smooth and friendly.
The importance of the army in Pakistan can be gauged from the fact that even the judiciary leans favourably towards it. Pak Chief Justice has directed the Attorney General to seek instructions from the government and to file a reply on the matter in two weeks. The Chief Justice further observed that the situation should "move towards an improvement". The Prime Minister had recently sacked Lodhi, a confidant of the army chief, on charges of gross misconduct and creating misunderstandings between the government and the military. Lodhi has challenged his dismissal in court, saying he was given no opportunity to explain his position.
The institution of army in Pakistan also occupies the most important place in the country. Though the Attorney General Anwar-ul-Haq has informed a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry of the government's position while responding to a petition that had asked the apex court to restrain the civilian administration from taking any action against the army chief, it clearly reflects the leniency of judiciary towards the military establishment of Pakistan.
If the Pak military had been subservient to the civilian government, terrorism and militancy would not have come up on this scale there to create violence and disturbance in the neighbouring country. Terrorism had not been made the instrument of state policy in Pakistan at the behest of its army in regard to India. Why did memo gate sandal take place in Pakistan after the killing of Osama bin Laden? Because the Pak civilian government of Asif Ali Zardari sent message to US through his missive to rein in military as it ignores its order. It is because of the shelter provided by Pak military to Osama bin Laden that he was living in Abbotabad where he was killed. Pak civilian government has no guts to go against the wishes and desire of its military. Pak army has stronger say in any matter of the nation than its civilian government.

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