‘“Stay out of politics, Nawaz Sharif warns generals’ is the lead news of your esteemed paper. What a tragedy that a leader who heads the second largest party in the country and is aspiring to lead the country third time as Prime Minister is making this statement. It reflects his political immaturity. Pakistan’s history is full of such examples where politicians failed to learn any lesson from their past mistakes and continue wasting their time on irrelevant issues to gain cheap popularity.
If you carefully analyse his recent rhetoric against generals warning them to keep away from politics (the entire nation knows that they are no more politicking), it simply reflects his mindset and anger that should have calmed down by now. Unfortunately, he has neither forgotten nor reconciled with the events of Oct 1999 that keep hounding him.
Mian Nawaz Sharif should know that his party barring few colleagues spared no time and joined hands with Gen Musharraf after his ouster from power. It was neither new nor a case of hypocrisy but they had the vision and wisdom to grab the opportunity and this otherwise is the cardinal principle of our politics. In any case, such actions are always in the supreme interest of country.
It is very strange that the PPP whose leader was hanged by Gen Zia is not that critical against the army generals as compared to Mian Nawaz Sharif. The world has changed, Pakistan’s politics is no more in the hands of generals so why implicate them?
Politicians should have pity on generals as sufficient bashing has taken place and now they should change their attitude towards them. While criticising and issuing warnings to generals, they should keep in mind their sacrifices in saving the country from militants who were knocking the doors of Islamabad. We are still not out of danger, a little error of judgment at this critical history of Pakistan may endanger our existence.
It will be more appropriate for the politicians to talk about their manifestos, issues confronting the nation, looming dangers, border threats and constant fear of militants who have the ability to choose the target of their choice and to strike as per their convenience.
This is no time for politicking, we are already a fragmented nation having no objectives in sight except to hunt each other. This is the time to unite the nation and strengthen your armed forces to collectively safeguard the sovereignty of Pakistan.
The nation is proud of their forces and would not allow anyone to play politics on their shoulders and all efforts from any direction that may result in lowering the morale of the forces would never succeed.
LT COL (Retd) MUKHTAR AHMED BUTT
Karachi
