Cleaning out the ranks
Gen Raheel Sharif has taken a courageous step to remove eight army officers from service; including a Lt. Gen, a Major General, five Brigadiers and three Colonels on charges of corruption. Hopefully this would be the beginning of a process of cleansing the army of personnel responsible for damaging the institution’s image. If followed consistently, this would improve discipline and promote professionalism. The army has been criticized in the past for shielding corrupt officers from laws applied to the rest of the population on the plea that the army had a strict discipline which made corruption impossible in its ranks. It was also maintained that the army had a strict accountability system which promptly punished anyone violating the law. The argument was untenable in the presence of damaging evidence about a number of high ranking army officers who had turned into billionaires.
The announcement will put pressure on the government which has failed to provide a satisfactory explanation of how the Prime Minister’s children managed to accumulate billions in property abroad. Despite demands from the opposition and media the government has continued to dodge the formation of an independent mechanism of enquiry for nearly a fortnight thus adding more suspicions to those already persisting.
The opposition is unanimous over two demands: a probe by the incumbent CJ and forensic audit by a reputable international auditing body. The government which is to defend itself insists on appointing an enquiry commission headed by a retired judge of its own choice following TORS formulated by the government itself. This is against norms of natural justice. There is a need on the part of the government to immediately call upon the CJ in writing to preside over the proposed commission. The opposition parties meanwhile should work out the TORS through mutual consultation. In case the government remains adamant this would cause confusion and political confrontation which would harm both the government and the system.
Calling CAOS action "symbolic" is an insult. It was he who floated the idea of 'accountability across the board' and he was the first one to show courage and obligation to do what he means. That is the difference between the Armed forces' intentions and their counterpart. All say that the Army and the Civilian Government is on the same page. And now it it the Civilian Governemt's turn to confirm they are.
The term "symbolic effect " is correct. Every COAS has tried to "limit" corruption in the army. If one has to be honest the previous COAS' family which includes army officers has made billions(Shariff syndrome). Even when Musharraf took over he went after his own officers and former head of naval forces but he quietly gave up. It was getting too near the bone!. one does not have to come in the firing line! One can always used "collaterals" to do it for you. Under Zia the richest people in Pakistan were the generals but he was above" board."
You need help Dr Sahib. Take off your glasses and then speak. When will we learn to judge somebody and not compare?
Sir, do not forget they are also part of this society ( call it whatever you wish). But there is no doubt, there exists accountability in the Armed Forces 'at every step'. Exceptions are there all over the world, even in the most stable and democratic Nations.
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