INTERVIEW: Muhammad Ali Durrani
Those dragging the military into the political deadlock are not its friends
Senator (retd) Muhammad Ali Durrani has served as the country’s information minister, culture and sports minister and special assistant to the prime minister. He has twice been elected to the senate. Having served at different government positions, Durrani has closely watched the functioning of the armed forces and is a good commentator on civil-military relations, politics and local government issues.
With the country’s political and military hierarchy stuck in a political crisis, Pakistan Today interviewed the former senator to know what, in his opinion, could be the way forward and what measures should be taken to get the country out of the political mess.
Q: How do you analyse the current political crisis? What will happen if even COAS fails to broker a deal between the government and protesting parties?
MAD: Despite the fact that the political crisis is touching new extremes today, I think the army should immediately disengage from the dialogue process. It would be wise to leave the political process to the political forces as in my view the government has smartly dragged the army into a political mess created by its own follies.
I know that the army’s top leadership is neither power hungry nor has it any urge to intervene in political affairs. This army is led by officers who strongly believe in performing their professional duties in the best national interest.
I also hold the protesting parties’ leadership equally responsible for taking advantage of the situation and luring the army into this political mess by showering praises on army’s leadership and giving media an impression that they have support from the khakis. The army leadership also made an effort to help the PML-N government even when it failed to have a dialogue with the opposition parties.
I know that the army’s top leadership is neither power hungry nor has it any urge to intervene in political affairs. This army is led by officers who strongly believe in performing their professional duties in the best national interest.
Q: Do you see any chance of martial law in near future in Pakistan?
MAD: There is an urge among the army to stay within their professional boundaries; dealing with terrorism, capacity building and to meet the challenges faced in the regional context. There is no urge in the army to impose martial law in the country. It should be kept in mind that from a jawan to general, the entire institution is conscious about its image. They perform their duties as a sacred cause and render themselves as a national army which functions to protect the national interest. However, if there is any effort by the political leadership to tarnish the army’s image, anybody should expect a reaction from the army. This is a part of their professional training and the army would religiously act to guard its image come what may.
Q: What in your opinion is the way forward now?
MAD: I think that answer to this issue lies in asking the democratic forces to resolve this mess on their own. So the army’s leadership should immediately detach itself from the ongoing process and ask the government and opposition to resolve their differences through dialogue.
However, no party should use force against the other and rather dialogue should be the only answer to this deadlock.
Q: What would be the feeling among khaki top ranks after changing of stance by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over their request for army’s facilitation in the dialogue process?
MAD: I know that there is a great discomfort and ill-feeling among top cadres of the armed forces over the flip flop statements coming from top government officials about their request to the army seeking facilitation in dialogue.
The army has a clean public image today and it is known as the only credible and merit-oriented institution in the country. Recent surveys show 83 per cent popularity ratings for the army. On the contrary, unfortunately the politicians have a bad public image. During the current agitation, this perception has been strengthened.
Actually, the army leadership is deeply concerned about some aspects of the government’s internal and foreign policies. They have also conveyed their reservations to the government over a host of issues from time to time, publicly and privately. The discord has been from the government’s dialogue process with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), prisoners exchange with TTP, trade relations with India at the cost of Indian Occupied Kashmir, Afghan policy and even Musharrraf’s trial.
Know that there is a great discomfort and ill-feeling among top cadres of the armed forces over the flip flop statements coming from top government officials about their request to the army seeking facilitation in dialogue.
However, despite all their concerns, the army made no effort to derail the democratic process. This reflects the commitment of the army leadership to democratic institutions. But the government did not respond positively to the army’s sincerity. From cabinet ministers to the prime minister, all pointed their fingers from time to time towards the general headquarters for their own failures, which is deplorable and condemnable.
Q: If army disengages itself, won’t political forces resort to confrontation?
MAD: If political forces sitting inside the parliament or outside don’t resolve their differences amicably through dialogue, they would be the losers and they would be equally responsible for failure of the democratic process.
Moreover, in case of accountability, no one will be spared and all would have to face severe accountability as corrupt politicians are present on both sides of the political divide. Politicians have always refused to develop democratic institutions and political parties are being run like family dynasties.
They strength of political parties lies with electables who are known in their respective towns for exploitation, corruption and nepotism. Due to their corruption, traditional politicians never allowed the government to bring in positive and pro-people change in the country and they would do the same in future as well.
So, if the army intervenes to preempt anarchy, the politicians would start a blame-game to defame the army. The army should wait and opportunity should be given to the regime to handle the situation.
Q: What should the army do in the worst case scenario?
MAD: The army should resist individual requests for facilitation in dialogue either from the government or from the opposition. The army should not intervene until and unless all the political forces, media and even judiciary make a formal request to the army to play its role.
Since the army is deeply involved in weeding out the menace of terrorism from North Waziristan and other parts of the country, its focus should remain on institutional growth and professionalism rather than involving itself in petty political affairs.
I think those dragging the army into political issues are not its friends and rather they are enemies of the army who want the forces to help them fulfill their objectives. Intervention of any sort should be the last option.
Q: How do you see the role of superior courts in midst of the political crisis?
MAD: I think it is high time that the superior courts made a serious rethink of their performance in the past ten years. The judges have been blamed of nepotism, partisan approach and failing to deliver justice. Time is ripe now for the courts to review their performance and address concerns and questions raised by the common public. An impartial role by judiciary may also help resolve the ongoing political mess.