This refers to the contents of a press release by the Inter Services Public Relations, (ISPR), following the 139th. Corps Commanders Conference, held recently, outlining the decisions taken during the conference and made public in the form of a declaration. The media is awash with its conjectural comments, analysis of the declaration and the message it implies and conveys to the nation as well as the politicians.
It is a free world and we all have our individual views, subjective assessment of a particular issue or issues, freedom and right to express them. As a common citizen, my gripe is that the armed forces are there to perform their duty, which is to guard, defend the country's borders, territorial domain, integrity and sovereignty, as a professional entity and an impeccable institution. The Corps Commanders' " declaration " goes beyond their mandate, for, it is largely a political declaration. The entailed pronouncements, could be music to some ears, particularly to the inept ruling junta and sundry political parties, but, are these in order, strictly in the context of the army's core responsibility, role and the mandate bestowed upon by the nation as enshrined in the constitution? The conference, candidly speaking, was like any other meeting of 'Central Executive Committee', (CEC), of a political party and not a military moot.
One had expected that the ISPR press release to provide the nation with a run down on the ongoing war against terror, measures to improve, enhance and bolster the nation's defenses, matters pertaining to geo - strategic imperatives, performance of intelligence agencies external, internal threats and initiatives being put in place to confront and counter these challenges and more importantly, steps being taken to purge armed forces of the extremists and proxy operators of terrorists organisation who have infiltrated into the nation's defence forces. These issues, it seems, were not on the agenda of the conference or for public consumption !!
It has been widely suggested that there is an attempt by vested interest to weaken the institution of armed forces, and drive a wedge between various State institutions and organs. Suffice it is to assert that no patriotic Pakistani would ever think of being involved or be part of such a nefarious adventure. Pakistanis, deeply respect and adore their armed forces for all the sacrifices made by them.
Finally, the " declaration " categorically stated that all decisions pertaining to nation's defence, internal, external affairs, issues, relations with the West, particularly with the U.S., will and have to be taken by the civilian government. The question here is whether a corrupt, untrustworthy, manipulative, incompetent, inept, intellectually crippled, genetically moronic and self - serving crooked dispensation can deliver? We all know the answer and ground realities, it is simply beyond these bozos period.