CHIEF of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani while addressing officers at the GHQ has stated that noindividual or institution has the monopoly to decide what is right or wrong in defining the ultimate national interest. In his well-considered and well-worded statement the COAS said the armed forces draw their strength from the bedrock of the public support and any effort which wittingly or unwittingly draws a wedge between the people and the armed forces undermines the larger national interest.
The statement created an instant stir and became a subject of heated debate of talk shows and discussions and several analysts read a lot in it while others described it as enigmatic. But in our view the subject statement was quite understandable and a cue to the thinking in the army. It should not be seen in isolation but in the perspective of so many developments during the last few years. For instance all had read and heard the statement of former Ambassador to Washington Hussain Haqqani and persistent attempts to bring the ISI under the thumb of a sectionofficer. More significant was to suck the army in mostly terrorism related domestic issues to divert its attention from the sacred duty of defence of the frontiers of the motherland. All this coupled with day in and day out uncharitable comments from some of the politicians and a section of the media gave a clear impression of character assassination of the Generals and the army. Of course recently and almost simultaneously in an orchestrated way, stories and comments appeared in the media about the NLC and Railways land scams in which several Retired Generals were blamed to be involved. Retd Air Marshal Asghar Khan case also highlighted the involvement of ISI in the creation of IJI and distribution of money by the Agency among the politicians to manipulate elections. Not only these politicians and media made the retired Generals subject of brute criticism but also a negative impression seemed to have been created about the army. Therefore when General Kayani says that wittingly or unwittingly an attempt has been made to draw a wedge between the people and the armed forces of Pakistan is comprehensible and understandable.
In any case, as the nation passes through the most difficult time of Pakistan’s history and as stated by General Kayani everyone has a great responsibility to shoulder, we should learn from the past, try to build the present and keep our eyes set on a better future. He was right in stressing that the way forward was to strengthen the institution, ensure the rule of law and work within the defined bounds of the constitution. Now when elections, which are being considered as mother of all elections in Pakistan are due, any attempt to weaken the institutions and trying to assume more than one’s due role will set the country back. Every one owes it to lay correct foundations for the future of Pakistan. As the COAS said the integrity and cohesion of the armed forces is essentially based on the trust reposed in them by the people of Pakistan and strengthening this trust will ensure better security of the country. It is the only institution on which the people have all their faith and which comes to the rescue of the nation in difficult times, including defending the sacred borders of the motherland, fighting against terrorism, foiling internal and external conspiracies and assisting the people during natural calamities. As stated by the COAS, there could beindividual mistakes and these should be best left to the due process of law and the fundamental principle that no one is guilty until proven should not be forgotten. Therefore no one should pre judge any one and avoid insinuating and demoralizing comments and debates on the armed forces which are totally against the national interests.
.jpg)
.jpg)
