The fanatics in khaki

Down the corridors of time, the men in khaki have usurped the mandate of the masses. The fanatics in the uniform have averted this nation into a directionless horde. Their authoritarian, assertive and complacent attitude has brought this country to its lowest ebb.
The Quaid’s nation seems to have lost in the conquest between GHQ and the executive. This tug of war has ruptured the foundations of the country. The national security state paradigm has completely failed and now we must contend on a welfare state. The apex military leadership and the premium intelligence agency have been carrying out atrocities against the executive from the very beginning. The civilians have also failed in all the endeavours, adding to the woes of the people.
Trust deficit is the root cause of the division between primary institutions of Pakistan i.e., the armed forces and the executive. The concerned institution is also referred to as a state within the state.
The Afghan war policy has backfired leaving Pakistan in isolation in the world. The army has indoctrinated the minds of the innocents with jihad. Overlapping of interests in the region then forced the army to take an absolute U-turn and fight a proxy war along with America in Afghanistan.
Our foreign affairs seem to be handed over to the generals with a pleasant face of Hina Rabbani Khar at the front. The civilians dare not intervene in the foreign affairs, even the domestic stratagems are scrutinised in the GHQ.
The country is still entangled in the fundamental debate of secular and non-secular. The sectarian violence in Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan might lead to the disintegration of the country. The terrorists are being unleashed from the Ferrari camps run by hostile neighbouring countries. They join Balochistan Liberation Army and fight against the national army. The Balochistan government is good for nothing. A political dialogue is paramount to address the grievances. Proper trial of the arrested suspects propagating and conspiring against Pakistan and no extrajudicial steps should be taken by the armed forces.
From sabotaging the peace process with India to justifying martial laws has been an absolute disaster. Army should mend its way. The situation demands to purge the diseased system to establish civilian supremacy.
The civilians are merely treated as minions. The men in uniform continuously intimidate the non-uniformed personnel. The idea of power flowing through the barrel of the gun must cease to exist. The Asghar Khan case judgement revealed all the game playing which army has done over the past years, but the generals are still not willing to surrender and justify their deeds through the term “national interest.”
Former Army Chief Aslam Baig’s statement regarding the confrontation between the army and the judiciary was a bleak and an utter fib. It was a clear cut attempt to abet General Kayani to come to his rescue. It should be considered as treason. The emotional bond between the army and the public, which once used to be sturdy, is unraveling fast. The fact of spying on politicians, judges, media persons and prominent people from civil society is indubitable. The sinful generals are also stimulated by inducements. Exorbitant defence budget is given to the military at the cost of education and health care.
With four martial laws justified with the excuses of ‘security risk’ and ‘national interest’, they must be deprived of the prerogative to stamp others as treacherous. Military leadership patronised the elected representatives but they might be oblivious to its ramifications. The sole custodians of national interests have completely eradicated the idea of an egalitarian society because we are ‘bloody civilians’.
But unlike the past military leaders, General Kayani has distanced himself from the intrinsic path though Musharraf was given a guard of honour as his swansong. Even so, the empowerment of civilians is the only way out of this ongoing crisis. I pray that the democratic system doesn’t relapse or else the road leading to havoc will expedite. Continuation of democratic system and smooth transition of power at the end of a term is paramount.
MUHAMMAD AHMED KHALIL
Lahore