Half the forum has been saying, go with the tide, not against it. There should be a Political Science arm to guide GHQ because the last year, it's been a face flat on the pavement. But, as I maintained my position from the beginning, it's often best not to say anything.
Social media is full of lies. This video proves CC was there and he tried to negotiate with the angry protesters, they did not listen and started to destroy everything, they were probably banging on his gates or climbed over them, its not rocket science, also keep in mind noone knew what the protesters were going to do, he was being polite to them and they destroyed his house, his family can be seen too. The same with other area of mob attacks.
These army people had 2 choices, call for back up and kill protesters or show restraint and talk to them, they made the right decision. If it was a military base and they were going for sensitive locations, they certainly would have been shot, come to Mangla base and you will find out.
The protesters were indeed in the wrong, it was 100% PTI youth. The army could have killed them and had the right because they were trespassing, but they showed restraint.
Just because officers showed restraint, the pti followers are making propaganda that they sided with them, some are saying they got scared, playing both sides and dirty politics, today Chief Justice is being praised but the same CJ was called traitor when he removed IK.
Can anyone please show me photos or videos of PTI protesters, from the videos and photos it looks like a few hundred attacking the jinnah house, cantonment, and majority protest was in Peshawar. The difference was they targeted the army and army showed restraint, this caused panic. The paid social media activitist are making it like millions came out but reality is a few hundred were attacking and a few thousand protesting. Sindh and Balochistan was quiet.
I already mentioned once, the patriotic Pakistanis love their nation and its army. Violent protests, mob violence, attacking army soldiers will not go well in the long run.
As i see it, CC is unfit for command and rightly called back into GHQ.
What he should have done is - shown his leadership and command experience in such situation, here is how :
He had at least 6 x QRF vehicles providing security to his house, That means he had at least a regiment on call of security of his residence. First step, he should have had intel of the mob gathering and advancing at his residence. Second step, he should have called up at least 1 x Coy of regiment (150 troops) and 2 x platoons of Military Police at his residence. Third step, should have asked for prepared meals for 100s of people at his residence from the Army Messes in the cantonment.
Now, he should have told his staff to tell the QRF vehicles to remain intact and form up in a single group, not stand individually all around his residence. Then he should have opened the gates of his residence, and would have told the extra called on troops to urge the people to enter the residence through the gate. Then in the lawns and open areas, he should have set up the banquet of food and would have addressed the mob by using mob control techniques. One of the effective technique is to spot the mob leader, there is always a mob leader who shouts the most, ignited the emotion of the mob and screams slogans at the opposite party - so he is not hard to detect.
CC, his staff and the troops should be telling the people to go inside and have food. This is hospitality when someone comes to your residence, even if its your enemy, the hospitality has t be offered. The troops should be told not to fire at the mob as troops are not allowed to fire at own citizens. In fact, the troops are required to intimidate the crowd since its difficult for a lone man to effectively control a mob. Troops are intimidation, not a force to be used, but numbers to be shown, apart from other duties of guiding the mob, so even if armed with personal weapons, there shouldn't be a riot control gear which is threatening to the mob.
Now, the CC and his staff should have spotted the mob leader and talked to him. He should have talked to the mob leader is to stress the importance of considering public opinions. Then determine and evaluate any implicit guidelines or presumptions in the mob. Recognize their biases. This is what I mentioned that ISPR should have done, instead of engaging a media front with PTI, ISPR should have turned towards the public and addressed their concerns.
The offer of food and hospitality is not just the culture, its also a psychological factor for calming down emotions. Even if the mob rejects it, thats alright since its a humanitarian gesture from the CC and as the talk with mob/mob leader get take a nasty turn, the first psychological factor is making them stand at one place and then asking them to sit down. Thats breaking the "charged up" psychological condition of mind. Just like when you are angry, change posture (stand if sitting, sit of standing), change surroundings, that reduces the emotion of anger. Presence of food also shows that you are welcome at some place and its a place to relax. These are psychological factors for the mob. Then mixing of so many uniformed soldiers within the crowd is also another psychological factor, as it doesn't become 1 vs 1 then, since both teams walking with intermixed with each other. Its not mob on one side and soldiers on other side. CC should have asked the soldiers to mix freely with the mob instead of standing like guards or standing like forming a line against them.
Using a loud speaker or not, CC should have taken the leadership role himself and talked to the crowd surrounded with his staff with soldiers mixed in the crowd. He should have let them talk, but answered their queries, re-iterating that they are guests at his house and as guests they are offered food and drinks. He should have then urged them to go back to their homes after the stay as somethings are out of his hands but since he has listened to their concerns, he will inform their concerns to whatever authority they want to approach and be heard to. Next he should have asked the mob leader/leaders to visit him in office the next day to get feedback for their concerns.
Like I said, I have seen military officers taking leadership role in front of charged tribes which become mobs in Baluchistan, and coming alone even to talk to them without backing of troops. There are ways and means to show leadership in different manners and ways.
The above solution may not be the best, there could be multiple more, however the following points is where the CC and if I was COAS, I would see him unfit for command on following:
1. He had no intel, no strategy, no plan - so no leadership.
2. Possible political sympathy with PTI, which is fine, but that doesn't mean to allow them to come to vandalize property.
3. An officer who cannot protect Government property authorized to him and is under his responsibility, is not fit for command.
4. CC had resources and troops at his disposal to effectively counter, thwart and manage the situation, yet failed to do so.
5. If CC cannot manage security of his own residence, he cannot manage defense of country.
In any case, there are are 9 Corps Command and some 30 officers at/above ranks of Lt General, considering both ratios, this one makes a dent for media, but over all not that much.