The Civil Military Divide By Abdul Salam Dadabhoy

Bombs and explosions were heard one after the other, in all major cities of Pakistan, with terrorists openly attacking major state installations and establishments; such fragile was the situation that even safety and security of important state buildings in and around the Constitution Avenue Islamabad (Red Zone as it is now) could not be guaranteed by the civilian government. It was in such circumstances, that the army was requested and requisitioned, to come and operate in aid of the civilian set up. This pertains to the five years term of Asif Ali Zardari led Pakistan Peoples’ Party government and thereafter the initial days of the present Nawaz Sharif led Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz regime, wherein General Ashfaq Pervez Kiani had retired as Chief of the Pakistan Army and General Raheel Sharif had just been elevated to assume command.

General Raheel Sharif is known to be from a family of martyrs, a family widely respected to have members, who have laid down their lives for the defense of this motherland. It is under this Chief that a full fledged Zarb e Azb was planned, initiated and being carried out. His dedication and devotion to the objective has been exemplary. Easier said than done, the COAS has not spent one religious festivity, or occasion leisurely with his family in the last two years. Ramzan, Eid and commemorative days have all been spent in visits and camps, with the front line forces. He has re ignited hope in the people and dispelled the gloomy picture of disintegration of Pakistan, God forbid. With the grace of the Lord, the operation Zarb e Azb has been a tremendous success, acclaimed and appreciated worldwide.
Terrorism has many facets, which includes training, supply and logistics of weapons and terror financing and funding. As far sighted commanders the COAS and his team realized, that unless sources of terror funding are not identified and cut off, the operation would not meet its logical end.

The operations started from tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, but later extended to urban centers like Karachi, which have become a hub for organized crime and different networks of high profiled terrorists. Birds of a feather flock together. Intelligence gatherings and intercepts have revealed that corruption, bhatta, kidnapping for ransom, car and motor bikes snatching etc: all generate revenues, which are inter-connected and linked. Pakistan Rangers Sindh were given special powers to apprehend and nab killers and the corrupt. This is where democracy started getting threatened.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz is not acting and will never go openly against the Pakistan Peoples Party, simply because after the Mutahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Peoples Party are done and over with in Karachi and rural Sindh respectively, the next target would be Punjab. So now all political parties (Pakistan Tehreek Insaf excluded) have rallied around each other to malign and corner the armed forces.

Pakistan Rangers Sindh have performed a remarkable task. If the people of Karachi are able to breathe and take a sigh of relief, it is only and only because of the searches, raids and arrests made by the Rangers. Despite the above, the Rangers stay is not being extended in Sindh, on one pretext or the other. The armed forces realize and for a fact, that unless urban centers are not cleansed to the core, gains achieved by Zarb e Azb will go in vain, something which the civilian political leadership is not willing to accept and act upon, simply to delay and hide their economic terrorism, which has landed Pakistan into a state of semi bankruptcy.

General Raheel may not and should not back off, as with him are associated the hopes and aspirations of not only the public at large, but also the serving forces as well as the families of the fallen and the handicapped heroes of this war. Let democracy work, let the system continue, is what we hear from politicians more than often, which basically has one meaning and that is for everyone to keep eyes away from the loot and plunder, Pakistan has taken brunt of, in the last 8 years. If this broad day light robbery is what democracy and the constitution stand for, we might as well find appropriate means to either amend the constitution, or throw it away in the dust bin of history.

The Chief has done his part and may not allow much lapse of time to the concerned quarters. It is serious business time and if the scale and trend of Zarb e Azb is observed a bit carefully, political martyrs may not be able to emerge, in case the armed forces are pushed to the wall. One hopes and prays, the General lives up to his family values and reputation.
Long Live Pakistan & Pak Armed Forces !!

 

The writer is a Director of the Dadabhoy Group, he is an ardent writer / blogger and has served as Vice Chairman of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry.

by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)