Some inroads have been made by the parliamentary body to take up the defence and national security issues, but much more needs to be done to inculcate supremacy of democratic institutions as far as defence matters are concerned.
A long struggle is needed for establishing equitable civil-military relation was the gist of a forum organised by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) on "Democratic Oversight of Defence and National Security: An Account of 4 years" here on Wednesday.
Senator Raza Rabbani said he does not share the optimism of other speakers that Pakistan is moving towards changing civil-military relation as per constitution, as the changes that are visible seems 'cosmetic' due to regional and international upheavals. He said when we discussed imbalance in civil-military relations, it is important to understand that it needs to change the mindset in which a civilian's patriotism is suspected and only a uniformed person can give a certificate of patriotism. This mindset shows that politicians are not capable of dealing with the national security and foreign policy issues.
He said that concept of welfare state changed into a garrison state and also the powers went to civil-military bureaucracy, afterwards ordinance were promulgated to strengthen the powers of uniformed presidents. "If we want civilian oversight then we can see transparency and accountability, as in dictators' regimes all the agreements lack records," he maintained.
Rabbani said you have to cross these barriers for change in the mindset, adding that the present government for the first time called the military leadership to the parliament and held seven hours question/answer session. It is a difficult struggle, yesterday's joint session proposals on foreign policy is collective ownership of civil-military institution, as this is the issue of survival of Pakistan federation, he added. Time has come to realise the established democratic traditions, he concluded.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that it is for the first time that Pakistan has taken official stance regarding attack on Salalah check post, redefining the thinking on national security. The subject does not contain only military and its allied institutions but politicians, media and civil society are all stakeholders, adding that it also encompasses constitution, human rights and judiciary for which institutional interaction is of paramount importance.
Mushahid said PCNS be institutionalised for carving national security strategy in the wake of threats to the country. He said that now it is not confined to conventional threats but includes food, energy, climate change and water, etc, which have to be taken up and a strategy be chalked out to counter the looming threats. Farhatullah Babar talking on the subject said it is a delicate issue, but now things are moving towards betterment. Though there is civil-military imbalance in power, it is also a reality that the institutions whose powers to be snatched will bear the brunt, he added.
He said balancing of power is a dangerous path to tread, as security establishment in reality outlines contours of our foreign policy and didn't want anybody else to interfere. Babar was of the view that think-tank must also study that our power had moved from civil government to military dictatorship, adding that the incumbent coalition government has taken the initiatives of presenting defence budget in 2008 and now it is responsibility of the parliament to prepare and review thoroughly the next budget and raise irrefutable suggestions.
He said that the National Command Authority has now been put under the Prime Minister which has opened the way for parliamentary oversight. Another important development of the present government is setting up PCNS, which has consistently worked to strengthen the role of the parliament.
To a question raised by PML-N lawmaker Shireen Khan, Mushahid said that it were the politicians who welcomed the military governments, but we have to move forward consistently with our policies paving the way for democratic institutions. Answering a question, Raza Rabbani said if there exists any agreements with some foreign countries without record, they should be sorted out.