What will the new COAS bring to the job?
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa who will be handed over the baton tomorrow. He will be judged by the high standards set by his illustrious forebear. To start with Gen Raheel took up the challenge of exterminating the curse of terrorism from the country for which he would be remembered for a long time to come. Many will wait to see how Gen Raheel’s successor manages to complete the mission particularly in two areas that require his special attention. First, terrorist networks which have been spared because they did not avowedly threaten the state have to be taken out because they possess the potential to create a situation where the two nuclear neigbours could enter into a bloody strife, a goal cherished by both Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Second, extremism which breeds terrorism and provides regular supply of recruits to terrorist networks has yet to be eliminated.
Without compromising on Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir, Gen Bajwa should support moves for resolution of the dispute through talks. The new COAS is also expected to help strengthen democracy by keeping the army apolitical and neutral. He should extend help whenever it is sought by the government particularly for holding the census and 2018 general elections in a way that these are widely seen to be free, fair and transparent.
In was highly condemnable on the part a PML-N Senator to claim that one of the contenders for the post was an Ahmadi and demand that his name be withdrawn from the list. This reflected an extremist mindset in the service of terrorists who aim at dividing the nation and its armed forces on religious and sectarian lines. The army is a national institution which provides equal opportunity to all citizens to serve the nation and get promotions on the basis of their performance. The ruling party owes an explanation to the nation why it chose a cleric with a highly divisive thinking to represent it in the Senate? What action has PEMRA taken against the channel? Why has the video been allowed to remain on the TV channel?