The top military brass, lying low following the recent security lapses that have damaged its credibility and reputation, looks now to the political leadership for guidance and direction to combat security issues, including the many-headed monster of terrorism.
Sources privy to recent interactions between the civilian and military leadership said that as security in the country worsened and public opinion turned against them, the military leaders tended to listen to the political and civilian leadership more than any time in recent vintage. “‘We do what you say’ is the approach being followed by the military leadership right now, if not grim resignation,” said a senior government official.
Until recently, the decision making in matters related to security, and even foreign policy towards US and India, was the exclusive preserve of the military high command, with the political leadership only playing second fiddle. The insecure Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership has been extra conscious when it comes to decision making on the security issue, making sure the military is on the “same page.” According to some analysts, the decisions and policies made by the military even affected the country’s economy in a big way.
“Imagine the loss to the economy if the US is using its influence in the military to stop the present political leadership from getting cheap gas from Iran,” said one local politician. The reputation of the military leadership is on the line after the US raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden, and the recent terrorist assault on a naval aviation base in Karachi that caught the military and its security agencies napping.
In the wake of these disturbing developments for the country, and more so for the military, questions have been raised in local debates whether the civilian leadership is able to assert itself now when the military leaders are down and out. And more importantly, will the military leadership be willing to accept the writ of a civilian government in future after all these security lapses despite being given a free hand by the political leadership?
Political analysts believe that the only redeeming aspect in this otherwise very grim situation is that the prevailing circumstances will allow the political leadership to establish its writ in areas such as security and foreign policy, once considered the sole domain of the military and forbidden fruit for politicians. Senior officials said they found the military leadership more in a mood to listen to the political leadership in recent meetings of the defence committee of the cabinet, which decided recently to eliminate all terrorist networks from the country using all means available to the military.
Some politicians say, however, that it is too early to say if the civilian government is inclined to cash in the prevailing situation and impose its writ in dealing with terrorism and other issues facing the country. “In fact, the civilian leaders will be too incompetent if they do not act now and seize the opportunity,” said a senior politician. The political leaders, however, are sure that now the military leadership, with public opinion turning against it, has little chance of fulfilling its political agenda, if there was any in the pipelines as being speculated in Pakistan from time to time.
They contend that the military leadership have had this opportunity before, but they never tried to avail it because Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani lacks interest in politics altogether. Analysts believe that this are the most critical moments for the country and its political leadership.
The civilian government is expected to make some hard choices and decisions in the days ahead on the national and regional level. As such, all eyes are set on the political leadership to see whether takes the initiative and consolidates its position to correct the wrongs committed in the past.