- Analysts believe govt conducted NSC to tell military leadership that things are under control
The hastily-summoned National Security Conference by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ended inconclusively as a joint statement issued after the moot failed to bring to fore any new development to curb the political standoff and worsening law and order situation in Punjab, analysts believe.
Most political analysts agree that the NSC was called by the government to ease the pressure piled on it after the announcement of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s revolution and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ‘Azadi’ march.
Talking to Pakistan Today, senior security analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi questioned the timing of the conference, saying that it should have been held before launching Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
“Holding the conference at a time when political tensions are running high indicates that the government is seeking the army’s backing to get through the domestic political crisis,” he said.
Askari criticised the way the Punjab government handled the situation in Lahore, adding that if the same tactics were applied to PTI’s long march, the country may face a crisis beyond the political leadership’s control. However, he added that a lot depends upon the strength and depth of party cadres of PTI and how Khan motivates his party workers to overcome the difficulties posed by the government.
As far as the fears of a military intervention are concerned, Akari regretted that by invoking Article 245, the PML-N-led government has made the army’s task easier in case the military establishment is considering cashing in on the current political turmoil in the country.
ARMY, ISI CHIEF WILL SPEAK UP ON MONDAY:
He also stressed on the significance of upcoming corps commanders conference to be held on Monday. He opined that in contrast to the NSC where the Army and ISI chiefs preferred to remain silent, the conference on Monday will witness detailed discussions by the two chiefs on the NSC’s proceedings and the current political situation.
He said that apparently the government wanted to craft a consensus between political leaders and military leadership about Operation Zarb-e-Azb but the deteriorating political landscape of the country clearly suggests that the government is desperate to send a message to the marching political armies that the government and military leadership is on the same page.
A source present at the NSC told Pakistan Today that the military leaders at the conference confined themselves only to briefing about their professional areas and remained tight lipped over the political discussions.
The absence of Air and Naval chiefs from the conference also raised questions in political circles about the comprehensiveness of the conference.
The source added that the PM stated during the conference that his government will not allow PAT Chairman Tahirul Qadri to stage protest but welcomed the prospect of talks with PTI.
Political analyst Ayaz Amir, while talking to Pakistan Today showed surprise over the timing and manner in which the NSC was held.
He termed the conference a drama staged by the PML-N-led government to show the military leadership that the government is in control. He said that the federal government is unlikely to get any political leverage as a result of this conference.
He termed the conference a last ditch political move to avert the impending political crisis and bemoaned that it will prove counterproductive for the government.
