Solomon2
BANNED
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2008
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The establishment of a national identity has been a key concern of Pakistani leaders since before Pakistan was founded. They did not simply want to be known as "Northern Indians". They knew the Muslims of India only partly supported the idea of Pakistan. There was no vote on the matter until 1970.
Different ideas have been promoted for justifying Pakistan and many of these have bounced around and been recycled for decades. But the brutal truth is that the State was yielded by its failed politicians to the military in the 1950s and ever since then Pakistan has been an army with a country, rather than a country with an army, with the army constantly seeking justification for its leading role in governing the country, lest people see it more as parasite than protector. (Even Z.A. Bhutto's rule wasn't an exception: he was the "civilian martial law administrator", a man the Army needed because his popularity shielded the Army from humiliation and only diplomacy could free 90,000 prisoners from the other side of the subcontinent. Once that mission was accomplished there was very little opposition from the ranks to removing Z.A.B. from power and resuming military rule once more.)
Since nationalism had failed as a motive force in 1970 and Z.A.B.'s socialism was seen as unproductive the idea of Islamization has been promoted instead. Each generation absorbed and internalized the credo promoted at the time, hence the different ideas circulating and clashing about what Pakistan's identity should be. But in the end, it's the Army alone that has decided who is and who isn't loyal to Pakistan - who it is that is guilty of treason - and for these decisions, largely carried out through its "agencies", the Army hasn't been accountable to anyone.
Since Mushy left there have been elections but Pakistan's elected politicians still see themselves as subordinates to the military. Perhaps a conviction of Musharraf will change that. However, corruption in Pakistan runs very deep: most politicians see Pakistan as a vehicle for personal enrichment and increased status - an instrument to be used, rather than a people to be served. Imo, there are not yet enough politicians who think otherwise competing with one another to change this.
Different ideas have been promoted for justifying Pakistan and many of these have bounced around and been recycled for decades. But the brutal truth is that the State was yielded by its failed politicians to the military in the 1950s and ever since then Pakistan has been an army with a country, rather than a country with an army, with the army constantly seeking justification for its leading role in governing the country, lest people see it more as parasite than protector. (Even Z.A. Bhutto's rule wasn't an exception: he was the "civilian martial law administrator", a man the Army needed because his popularity shielded the Army from humiliation and only diplomacy could free 90,000 prisoners from the other side of the subcontinent. Once that mission was accomplished there was very little opposition from the ranks to removing Z.A.B. from power and resuming military rule once more.)
Since nationalism had failed as a motive force in 1970 and Z.A.B.'s socialism was seen as unproductive the idea of Islamization has been promoted instead. Each generation absorbed and internalized the credo promoted at the time, hence the different ideas circulating and clashing about what Pakistan's identity should be. But in the end, it's the Army alone that has decided who is and who isn't loyal to Pakistan - who it is that is guilty of treason - and for these decisions, largely carried out through its "agencies", the Army hasn't been accountable to anyone.
Since Mushy left there have been elections but Pakistan's elected politicians still see themselves as subordinates to the military. Perhaps a conviction of Musharraf will change that. However, corruption in Pakistan runs very deep: most politicians see Pakistan as a vehicle for personal enrichment and increased status - an instrument to be used, rather than a people to be served. Imo, there are not yet enough politicians who think otherwise competing with one another to change this.
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