EDITORIAL: If history is any evidence then one can say that on assumption of office every army chief comes with his own worldview about national security and political milieu he is to work for and live with. So, that was the case also with General Syed Asim Munir as he became Chief of Army Staff late last month. And it didn’t take him long to chalk up his priorities and frame his mindset in relation to these challenges. His first public appearance was on the Line of Control in Kashmir where he point-blank told India not to do any mischief.
He also called upon the international community to force India to abide by the UN resolutions that unequivocally uphold the Kashmiris’ right for self-determination. The next day was at the Tirah Valley where he warned the anti-state elements that should they commit an act of terrorism they would not be forgiven. He said no one would be allowed to disrupt hard-earned gains of the nation’s war against terrorism. Simply stated, General Asim Munir has showcased his priorities in which the defence of national borders and national security tops the list.
And then came General Asim Munir’s take on the political situation as it obtains today in the country. Addressing a workshop at the National Defence University at GHQ in Rawalpindi, he reaffirmed the commitment of his predecessor General Qamar Javed Bajwa (retd) that army shall stay away from politics, and also promised that he would not compromise the supremacy of the Constitution and the honour of his institution.
On the question of extension in service of army chief, he said it is there, but the parliament can, and should and if it desires so it can pass a law to undo this practice. The army’s job, he said, “is to share the input with the federal government and follow its order instead of dictating it”. If that is so then why General Bajwa asked the Chaudhrys of Gujrat to join hands with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership during the no-confidence vote against Imran Khan, questioned a participant at the workshop. General Munir said he was not privy to that matter and therefore had no comment on it. But then he added that the army’s decision to remain apolitical is firm. And he assured the audience that he holds the Constitution supreme and would keep doing so as the army chief. Of course the army can give its opinion to the government on an issue but it is the federal government’s job to make decisions, he added.
Pakistan’s history is replete with instances when civilian governments were sent packing by military leaders with people distributing sweets. Then there have been three constitutions, each having its own scheme of things on issues like federalism, to be presidential or parliamentary form of government and distribution of finances. We also know that once elected by majority as prime minister or chief minister the incumbents rarely return to those houses. And quite often ordinance-promulgation outbids legislation-making by the legislative houses. Then there are dynastic families who rule the roost by clinching important positions in clear violation of merit. Isn’t all this in negation of ambience of democracy, which is of the people, by the people and for the people? Do we have that kind of democracy, which the men in uniform are under oath to defend by word and action? So, now that there is peaceful, friction-free change of command of the army we would like to wait and see how the country’s political leadership vindicates the basic norms of a functional democracy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022