third eye
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2008
- Messages
- 18,519
- Reaction score
- 13
- Country
- Location
Political surrender of the khakis?
From the murder of Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan to the fall of General Pervez Musharraf the last Khaki usurper there has been a substantial decline in the political influence of the armed forces. General Raheel Sharif as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has shown professional maturity in maintaining neutrality in the current upheaval. As a soldier he perhaps understands the limitations of the men in uniform and their negative influence in the past. As a first step towards retribution he has gone after a total clean up of the militants both raised nurtured and hounded by his predecessors.
The list of Khaki misadventures is both long and painful.
From Ayub Khan’s Convention Muslim League to Zia’s Muthida Qaoomi Movement (MQM) and Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) the menace has been far reaching. Musharraf’s ill-conceived war on terror brought militancy to our doorstep. Today the Armed Forces remain the only functional institution left in the country rest being neutralized by them. When Ayub Khan clamped the first martial law in October 1958, Pakistan was under the control of the founding fathers that had built national institutions with their sweat and blood. His EBDO (Elected Bodies Disqualification Ordinance) knocked out the entire political leadership, only Suharwardy survived who was later found dead in a Beirut hotel. Zia got rid of the first elected PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), he defaced the 1973 constitution with support of the compliant judiciary. Musharraf was equally lethal. Instead of political cleansing of Zia era demons he tried to prolong his rule by surrounding himself with ‘Lotas and Luteras’. Eventually he fell in the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) trap that paved the way for the return of both Benazir & Nawaz.
There is a huge difference between the man and mother of crises. Unfortunately for Pakistan, its armed forces have played both these roles. The clean up in North Waziristan is a realization of its role, once the scrooge of militancy and extremism is eliminated, the country will emerge stronger. Elimination of corruption will then be the next major challenge. Till 1958 the political leadership was free of corrupt practices. The Khaki demon-producing factors then started to work over time and churned out third-rate tainted political leadership from which we continue to suffer. What kind of operation is needed to get rid of the Gullu and Pomy Butts who hound us?
In order to control West Pakistan Ayub Khan appointed a tyrant called Nawab Amir Muhammad Khan of Kalabagh as Governor. He then patronized goons to control the city of Lahore. Acha Shukarwala controlled the city up to Multan Road and then the domain of Jagga Gujjar started. Abduction and targeted killing could be carried out at will in any part of the city. Finally when the people got fed up and the public anger turned into rage against the tyrant, he was replaced by General Musa who had retired as the Commander-in-Chief (CNC) of the Pakistan Army.
General Musa then cleansed the city of the goons, police encounters or fake muqablas were used to gun them down. Peace and tranquility finally returned to the city but the reputation of Ayub Khan had been damaged beyond repair and he was toppled by General Yahya Khan who then promised free and fair elections on the basis of one-manone-vote or adult franchise. In 1970 the first elections were held which brought an end to the forces of status-quo. Mujib won big in East Pakistan while Bhutto emerged victorious in West Pakistan. Till today that has been the only honest ballot ever held in the country.
Bhutto’s “Awami Hakumat” shattered the citadels of status-quo. In 1973 a unanimous constitution was also promulgated. It was then decided by the powers to be to derail democracy and contain Quaid-e-Awam who was at the pinnacle of power in 1975. First it was military action in Baluchistan followed by the first elections in 1977 under the 1973 constitution. An election cell was also created within ISI to monitor the trends. After the creation of this monitoring network every election has been manipulated. Pakistan and its nascent democracy continue to struggle while “Lotas and Luteras” rule with the help of Gullu Butt’s of Gawalmandi.
The political mess that the country is in today is a result of Khaki adventurism and their tailcoats left behind. As the famous saying goes, ‘it takes a thief to catch a thief’. The derailment of Pakistan cannot be overcome by routine evolutionary processes while the Khakis watch from the sidelines.
Since 1958 I have participated in every long march and firmly believe in the constitution and rule of law. Democracy cannot function without an honest ballot. The 1973 constitution is a gift of the freely elected assembly of 1970. All attempts both Khaki and civilian to deface this sacred document have miserably failed. Pakistan needs a free and fair election in 2015 for democracy to flourish. The Khakis are now cleaning the militancy mess in Waziristan. Once the Zarb-e-Azab mission has been accomplished the focus should then shift to Zarb-e-Jamhoryat.
This should be the last election monitored by the ISI election cell and held under Khaki supervision to ensure an honest ballot. The election cell should then be dismantled and the Khakis return to the barracks with honour and dignity after restoring Quaid’s country. Naya Pakistan will then emerge as a constitutional democracy with adherence to the rule of law. Institution building can then start from where it had been disrupted four times in 1958, 1969, 1977, and 1999.
The writer is ex-chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation.
From the murder of Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan to the fall of General Pervez Musharraf the last Khaki usurper there has been a substantial decline in the political influence of the armed forces. General Raheel Sharif as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has shown professional maturity in maintaining neutrality in the current upheaval. As a soldier he perhaps understands the limitations of the men in uniform and their negative influence in the past. As a first step towards retribution he has gone after a total clean up of the militants both raised nurtured and hounded by his predecessors.
The list of Khaki misadventures is both long and painful.
From Ayub Khan’s Convention Muslim League to Zia’s Muthida Qaoomi Movement (MQM) and Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) the menace has been far reaching. Musharraf’s ill-conceived war on terror brought militancy to our doorstep. Today the Armed Forces remain the only functional institution left in the country rest being neutralized by them. When Ayub Khan clamped the first martial law in October 1958, Pakistan was under the control of the founding fathers that had built national institutions with their sweat and blood. His EBDO (Elected Bodies Disqualification Ordinance) knocked out the entire political leadership, only Suharwardy survived who was later found dead in a Beirut hotel. Zia got rid of the first elected PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), he defaced the 1973 constitution with support of the compliant judiciary. Musharraf was equally lethal. Instead of political cleansing of Zia era demons he tried to prolong his rule by surrounding himself with ‘Lotas and Luteras’. Eventually he fell in the NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) trap that paved the way for the return of both Benazir & Nawaz.
There is a huge difference between the man and mother of crises. Unfortunately for Pakistan, its armed forces have played both these roles. The clean up in North Waziristan is a realization of its role, once the scrooge of militancy and extremism is eliminated, the country will emerge stronger. Elimination of corruption will then be the next major challenge. Till 1958 the political leadership was free of corrupt practices. The Khaki demon-producing factors then started to work over time and churned out third-rate tainted political leadership from which we continue to suffer. What kind of operation is needed to get rid of the Gullu and Pomy Butts who hound us?
In order to control West Pakistan Ayub Khan appointed a tyrant called Nawab Amir Muhammad Khan of Kalabagh as Governor. He then patronized goons to control the city of Lahore. Acha Shukarwala controlled the city up to Multan Road and then the domain of Jagga Gujjar started. Abduction and targeted killing could be carried out at will in any part of the city. Finally when the people got fed up and the public anger turned into rage against the tyrant, he was replaced by General Musa who had retired as the Commander-in-Chief (CNC) of the Pakistan Army.
General Musa then cleansed the city of the goons, police encounters or fake muqablas were used to gun them down. Peace and tranquility finally returned to the city but the reputation of Ayub Khan had been damaged beyond repair and he was toppled by General Yahya Khan who then promised free and fair elections on the basis of one-manone-vote or adult franchise. In 1970 the first elections were held which brought an end to the forces of status-quo. Mujib won big in East Pakistan while Bhutto emerged victorious in West Pakistan. Till today that has been the only honest ballot ever held in the country.
Bhutto’s “Awami Hakumat” shattered the citadels of status-quo. In 1973 a unanimous constitution was also promulgated. It was then decided by the powers to be to derail democracy and contain Quaid-e-Awam who was at the pinnacle of power in 1975. First it was military action in Baluchistan followed by the first elections in 1977 under the 1973 constitution. An election cell was also created within ISI to monitor the trends. After the creation of this monitoring network every election has been manipulated. Pakistan and its nascent democracy continue to struggle while “Lotas and Luteras” rule with the help of Gullu Butt’s of Gawalmandi.
The political mess that the country is in today is a result of Khaki adventurism and their tailcoats left behind. As the famous saying goes, ‘it takes a thief to catch a thief’. The derailment of Pakistan cannot be overcome by routine evolutionary processes while the Khakis watch from the sidelines.
Since 1958 I have participated in every long march and firmly believe in the constitution and rule of law. Democracy cannot function without an honest ballot. The 1973 constitution is a gift of the freely elected assembly of 1970. All attempts both Khaki and civilian to deface this sacred document have miserably failed. Pakistan needs a free and fair election in 2015 for democracy to flourish. The Khakis are now cleaning the militancy mess in Waziristan. Once the Zarb-e-Azab mission has been accomplished the focus should then shift to Zarb-e-Jamhoryat.
This should be the last election monitored by the ISI election cell and held under Khaki supervision to ensure an honest ballot. The election cell should then be dismantled and the Khakis return to the barracks with honour and dignity after restoring Quaid’s country. Naya Pakistan will then emerge as a constitutional democracy with adherence to the rule of law. Institution building can then start from where it had been disrupted four times in 1958, 1969, 1977, and 1999.
The writer is ex-chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation.
