Pakistan Army: Damned if they do and Damned if they don't!

 Being a cantonment rat because my father was in the army, throughout my life the din of army life was always present. Studying in Cadet College Petaro (yes Zardari and I were batch mates), the expectation was to join the army. However my father, who had an illustrious military career talked me out of it with the words, "you are too political to serve in the army". Through the tumultuous history of Pakistan we have had four military governments and through each civilian government the feeling has been that generals have been in the shadows. 

Relations between civilian governments and the military has been shaped by many factors, largely shaped by the perception of stability or lack of it and how it can develop into threats to the country. At other times divergences on national security issues ( Nawaz Sharif and General Musharraf) had resulted in military assuming power. At other times political interference in the affairs of the military as did Z. A Bhutto resulted in the rise of General Zia ul Haq, an officer who superseded more competent officer to rise at the top created conditions that affected civilian-military relationships. 

Today social media is flooded with people debating the role of the Army in the ouster of Imran Khan. Before assuming the office of PM Imran himself has stated that the army chief was neutral and not political, and today it seems his ardent supporters are talking of the betrayal of Imran by the army chief. For the record this seemed the second time in Pakistan history where the army has remained neutral (General Aslam Baig was the other). I support Imran and while I have not heard any comments, so far, from him blaming the army for his ouster, he has made snide references to traitors and turncoats which can be seen a wild broadsides to any and everyone. 

From what one can glean the army remained neutral through the whole saga of the non confidence motion and it all may have encouraged a final nudge after Imran had lost the vote. As a supporter of democracy one can only be satisfied that the army was not the kingmaker in this instance. As a supporter of Imran one feels wronged by the non confidence motion but that is a part of the parliamentary democracy. Party members change sides, for whatever reason, this is what democracy is about, and of there is or was a foreign conspiracy then there is a different forum to debate and deliberate in. 

In a country where almost every institution has been plagued with corruption, nepotism and divisiveness along ethnic and religious affiliations, the Pakistan army remains very different. It is the only institution where your ethnic and religious background do not matter. It remains the one body has has internal remained stable and provided the edifice of security in a country where direct and indirect threats are numerous. 

Indeed this is a different army from the one my father served in where certain norms of conduct were rigid. I never ever sat in my father official car and one time I asked his military batman to polish my shoes i was severely punished by my father with the words 'he is here to look after me, not you'. Perhaps today batman's in many military homes are used as personal servants of the whole house and no one may consider that wrong. There have been rumblings that some officers live beyond their means etc. etc. However there is a process to within the military code to bring such officers to task and as per military protocols this is not plastered in newspapers. 

One wants to see the military out of politics and thus when they have done so this time, we should not damn them for this role. By constitution the army is expected to stay out of politics and it has largely done so this time. Imran Khan would be in his right to blame his former alliance members and party members for being traitors to him and his party and were he to have enough members in the next assembly he can reform the constitution to deal with floor crossing and it would be within their rights to do so. 

While this piece may not find many friends on both sides of aisle, I do feel that at times we have to think of Pakistan first and then parties and individuals. We should not allow needless attacks on the role of the army when it has shown it can stand away from the political process as this plays into the hands of the enemies of Pakistan. There are ample professional soldiers in the Pakistan army who will continue the tradition of professionalism and shun politics and that is the continuity that Pakistan needs more than ever. 

In the same vein the Sharif government should not try and milk this situation by passing resolutions condemning Imran Khan and the PTI for alleged insults to the army. Certainly the PMLN is aware of its own castigation of the army during the Musharraf era, and it needs to concentrate on governance rather than immature politics. 

Indeed Imran Khan has created political awareness in droves of the youth who were apathetic towards politics and this is a good thing. He also bears the responsibility to guide these youth to positive change and not engage in an emotional narrative that defiles the one institution, the military, which was neutral and continues to provide the stability that is needed. These are delicate times for the country and many, including myself, hope that elections are held and this mess is cleared up. By the same token we need to be careful not to ignite emotions that can cost the country dearly.