No answers forthcoming?
Last week I wrote about how significant questions regarding the present and future of Swat loom imposingly before us. Foremost among these relate to the role of the Pakistan Army in the region both in the lead-up to the operation against the militants as well as today.
My praise of the bravery of the Pakistan Army related to the actions of the jawans and the officers involved in the offensive in Swat. However, what I need to assert is that the actions of the high command of the Pakistan Army left a lot to be desired both in the lead-up to the military offensive and also in its aftermath. It is no secret that the secular forces that stand at the centre of the ANP in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa wanted the Pakistan Army to act much sooner than it did in Swat. Why the Army delayed taking action in Swat is a question that we must keep raising. The civil-military imbalance in this country is no secret. The Pakistan Army acts and omits to act of its own sweet will, often not paying much heed to the so-called orders of the constitutionally recognised civilian government.
One of the reasons that we lost Swat was because the Army decided to hold back. It is unthinkable, if not laughable, that a military force as well-equipped as ours cannot block an FM channel run by the likes of Fazlullah. Till the threat grew too close for comfort, the Army did not act and the Army high commands reticence was and remains shrouded in mystery. This, in no way, is meant to undermine the sacrifices made. But Pakistan may have lost fewer sons and millions would not have been displaced had the Pakistan Armys high command acted in a timely manner. We may have managed to wrest back Swat but what of the hearts and minds that we need to win back?
The answer is not simple and neither is it straightforward. Whoever came up with the after the recapture plan in Swat clearly lives on a planet where good sense is not a part of the atmosphere. Driving through the Swat valley, you will notice that each town recaptured by the Army has countless doors and shutters now painted with the Pakistan flag. Slogans such as I salute Pakistan Army have been painted on all over such towns too. Depressingly enough, all of this seems to be the job of the same painter and his students. The painted flags everywhere are remarkably similar along with their location. In a country already reeling from the Punjabisation of its ideology and resources, this is definitely not the way to win hearts. The displaced people who have come back to their towns painted with life-sized Pakistan flags may not necessarily feel warmth towards those responsible for the ubiquitous bad art.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Army despite public statements to the contrary has not reported the findings of an investigation into alleged extra-judicial killings. The fate of those arrested in Swat remains uncertain. How many suspects have been shot without a trial? We have never been provided any numbers regarding this. The Army high command pays little heed to the civilian governments stance on matters that threaten its comfort zone. This civilian governments inability to exert greater control on the military is a result of the systemic flaws built into the system as a result of decades of military dictatorship.
It is true that Parliament may not be able to hold the Army genuinely accountable any time soon but efforts to ensure the dawn of such a day must continue. Our military leadership is a bit of a headless creature and when those run around they cause a lot more damage than headless chickens. The USA too is finding it hard to put up with the shenanigans of our military high command. The USA has a legitimate concern to be suspicious of the Armys links with the militants. The fact that our military still seeks to protect certain factions and leaders (be it Afghan Taliban or Al-Qaeda) does not augur well for this countrys future. If we double cross the Americans then the trust deficit will continue to widen. Drone attacks make sense for the USA and for good reason. No super power can or should trust a country that lies through its teeth. This country, instead of blindly criticizing them, needs to have an open and candid debate about the efficacy of drone attacks. They at least cause less collateral damage than indiscriminate artillery shelling by our Armyand they bring results. The least that the Army can do is throw its weight behind the civilian government in explaining why the attacks make sense and were allowed.
In a world where perception is often treated as reality, we have not done ourselves any favours. If your guard is friends with all the thugs in the area, how can you ever sleep peacefully at night? All of us need to raise the heat by seeking answers from our powerful men in uniform who have perverse notions of national security.
The writer is a Barrister of Lincolns Inn and practices in Lahore. He has a special interest in anti-trust/competition law. He can be reached at [email protected]
