Major General (R) Wasif Ali

The author is an old Ravian, did his LLM from the University of the Punjab. He served Pakistan
Army as Major General. Mr. asif is very ell read fa!ulty member of "L# and !ontributes in
"L#ian re$ularly and reli$iously. %n his &ersonality, a !om&lete !ode of ethi!s for students !an be
observed.
The Men on the Horse Back
The bugle for the retreat has been sounded for the men on the horse back to leave the political
arena. The shrill of the bugle is audible to the far off posts. The message given by the collective
wisdom of the people in the general election 2008 is unequivocally clear i.e. the rmy must revert
to its professional chores.
fter independence! the biggest shock that the country had to sustain was the death of two of its
ablest leaders i.e. "uhammad li #innah and $iaqat li %han. Thereafter! because of the inept
political leadership! the country was plunged into an unprecedented political turmoil. &t could not
make even a constitution of its own for the first nine years. The political leaders! then! surfaced!
suddenly found themselves confronted with the challenge of running the biggest &slamic state. 'or
this they had neither the political acumen nor the requisite capability. The politicians and
bureaucrats! for mundane benefits! flouted the parliamentary norms and indulged in partisan
politics. The clima( reached when the )overnor )eneral )hulam "uhammad dissolved the first
constituent ssembly. n unconstitutional act with far reaching adverse ramifications on the future
course of our history.
*uring all these years! the rmed 'orces true to their +ritish background and tradition kept
themselves aloof from active politics. +ut there was a limit up to which they could sit back and
watch the country drift from the worse political disorder to the worst national chaos. The politico,
economic health of the country had gone so bad that some of the politicians had invited the rmed
'orces to step in and take the country out of the chaos. The rmed 'orces did not oblige but
certainly an equation had been established between the top military hierarchy and higher political
echelons of the country that manifested itself into the inclusion of the -,in,- of the rmy into the
cabinet as *efence "inister a practice never followed in parliamentary democracies. This also
signalled militarys interest in domestic politics.
The militarys increased interest in domestic politics coupled with the chaotic politico,economic
conditions of the country paved the way for the rmed 'orces to stage a bloodless coup in
.ctober /018. this marked the end of the parliamentary democracy in 2akistan. The military take
over came as a big relief to the commoner who saw in the rmed 'orces an institution that could
bring order out of disorder and prevailing chaos.
The militarys take over in 2akistan in /018 removed the political leaders and democratic
institutions from the political scene. The military leadership introduced certain reforms and
accelerated the pace of economic development. The military and civil bureaucracy formulated a
new constitution and gave a presidential form of government devised to suit the genius of our
people. The rmed 'orces had since reverted to the barracks but in fact the new government
derived all its power from their indirect support. The presence of senior military officers at
significant civil posts was used as a symbolic manifestation of the rmed 'orces continued loyalty
and support to the president yub %han. The authoritarian character of yub %hans regime and his
unimaginative handling of the politico,economic situation had caused disenchantment among the
people. The politicians who had not reconciled with yub %hans new constitution e(ploited the
situation to their advantage3333"r. +hutto being the ma4or e(ponent of poor mans politics.
+oth the 5astern and the 6estern wings 4oined hands in the movement and by /070 it had
acquired massive proportions. yub %hans political sagacity to pacify the situation did not prove
equal to the task and the man who took over the country because of the politicians machinations!
after a decade! had to succumb himself..
rmed 'orces once again found themselves saddled with the responsibility of running the country!
a 4ob which they should have avoided.
rmys subsequent two years rule was a disaster for 2akistan8 it witnessed the break,up of the
country. The rmy found itself trapped in a situation of considerable disadvantage vis,9,vis partisan
political pulls and forces. .n! :
th
*ecember /0:0! the stock of the rmy stood sky high after the
first free election held in the country on the basis of ;niversal 'ranchise under its supervision.
<owever! the rmy that had maintained strict neutrality strayed off the straight! when it came to
handing over of power to the ma4ority leader. This led to unfortunate happening i.e. the separation
of 5ast 2akistan out of the 'ederation. The dismemberment of 2akistan lowered the stature of the
military as a nation building force in 2akistan. The new civilian leadership under "r. +hutto that
emerged on the political hori=on of 2akistan found the conditions conductive to assert civilian
supremacy over the military. To that end they took a number of measures to ensure that military
should never venture to interfere in the political life of the country. This however was not to be.
&n /0::! in the first general elections held after the dismemberment of the country the 222
government was accused of rigging. The opposition in order to show their resentment took to the
streets. The situation by #uly /0:: had become so e(plosive that the country was on the brink of a
civil war. "ost of the prominent politicians were supplicating the rmy! to take the country out of
this malady.
*espite the traumatic e(perience of /0:/ military debacle! the rmy and civil oligarchy failed to
learn that the collective wisdom of the people can only be defied at the cost of rendering the
country asunder. The rmy again intervened in /0:: on the prete(t of massive rigging of the
election and the resultant in,fighting of our politicians. The country was again plunged into the un,
charted political waters for perpetual tossing.
)en. >ia,ul,<aq! who had promised to hold the elections within ninety days after the military take,
over! would be remembered for the systematic annihilation of our civil institutions! The 4udiciary!
bureaucracy! police and press all became the victim of his wrath at different times. They were
made pliant through carrot and stick policy. 2akistans politico,economic landscape remained
barren and desolate during his self imposed rule. The people at large and the intellectuals in
particular remained gagged and suffocated. "any left the country and sought political asylum in
6estern countries. <is sudden departure from the scene! due to a mid air destruction of his plane!
however! did not create any political vacuum. 'or once it was felt that the army had understood the
limitations within which it had to operate with the future civil governments. The subsequent
alternating political bouts of our two main stream parties i.e. the "uslim $eague and the 2.2.2 in
the corridors of powers and courts e(posed their political immaturity and thoughtless intransigence.
The %argil operation and its aftermath proved too much for a civil government! to handle. The
strategy adopted for the sacking of the -hief of the rmy staff for his +?@*. in %argil was too
naive and comicA The rmy top brass reacted passionately. )en. 2ervai= "usharaf was catapulted
to the political hori=on through his bloodless counter coup. The military once again found itself
riding the crest of the political waves. &t entrenched itself into the body politic of the country with
renewed =eal and determination. The counter coup staged by )en. 2ervai= "usharaf was
validated by the Bupreme -ourt. The -ourt was more than generous when apart from validating his
action under the *octrine of Cecessity it also bestowed upon him the power of amending the
-onstitution. &nterestingly this was neither prayed for! nor could the -ourt delegate such a non,
e(istent power. This legal parado( has yet to be resolved by our legal e(perts.
The country was destined to remain under the rmy for another eight years. The -hief of the rmy
staff had assumed the role of the 2resident following the convention set by )en yub %han! )en!
Dahya %han and )en. >ia,ul,<aq.
The repeated interventions of rmed 'orces and the repeated debates on such interventions in the
countrys courts of law had generated an other debate i.e. giving a constitutional right to the rmed
'orces to intervene8 should they find the politicians to be endangering the sovereignty of the
country. 2resently there is no country where rmed 'orces have been assigned a constitutional
role to intervene in political crisis. &n Turkey where such a role has been accepted through usage
and not through any constitutional provision! however! can be quoted to strengthen the argument.
thorough analysis of Turkish rmed 'orces in countrys politics is indicative that such intervention
and its acceptance by the Turkish nation is directly related to their environments and background of
their rmed 'orces which are completely different than ours. This intervention or threat of
intervention! however! has not brought any political stability in Turkey. Turkish rmed 'orces
constitute a pressure group in national politics and in the long run this usage if allowed! is going to
undermine the power of the people.
The constitutional role of the rmed 'orces cannot be fi(ed by the words of the constitution
because it must find support from national thought and emotions. &f that support is not forthcoming!
because disagreements or uncertainties prevail! then there will always be a need of having final
arbiters. part from the classic concept of democracy which gives only one option to the rmed
'orces! to obey whatever government happens to be in power! there are various practical
difficulties which must be kept in view. The most worrying one will be that politicians are sure to
begin courting )enerals. This would involve the forces into day to day controversies. &n fact on
each issue the senior officers might be on different sides. The rmys involvement in the day to day
political controversies can cause multiple divisions in its ranks. That kind of situation conceivably
can cause very dangerous consequences.
The rmed 'orces intervene in politics when the people are unsympathetic towards the
government! its ob4ectives or conduct. This is so because political pressures are on the whole more
telling in the long run than guns. 6hen the .fficers of the rmed 'orces assume civilian power!
they can disregard the civilian government! but they often discover that a part of their own
members assume a role of civilian population and e(ert pressure within their own ranks. "ilitary
governments are therefore confronted with the same social pressures as any other government.
-onstitutions are sacred pieces of national heritage and are treated as such by all civili=ed nations.
&n ;nited Btates of merica before an amendment to the constitution can be validly passed! it has
to be approved by two,third ma4ority of both houses of the -ongress. This has to be further ratified
by the three,fourth states of the union. &n Bwit=erland and ustria! the entire nation goes for
referendum in case any amendment to constitution is envisaged. Bimilarly! without a specified
ma4ority in +elgium and without special sitting of legislature in 'rance! the respective constitutions
cannot be amended. The written constitution is rigid as it draws its legitimacy from collective
willingness of the entire nation. ny thought of associating our rmed 'orces in any manner with
the running of the country would find no supporters. ?egardless of the fact that the great bulk of the
rmed 'orces remain fully engaged in their professional chores in their units and establishments!
they cannot remain oblivious of the day to day practical politics! sensing and guessing the hour!
warranting their intervention.
The professional image of our rmed 'orces after their unfortunate involvement in politics!
culminating into the dismemberment of 2akistan and events in Biachin and %argil! is tarnished.
2ublic memory is not so short to accept a military hegemony in this country. The circumstances in
which the "artial law and 5mergences emanate are too well known to be repeated here.
2rofessional image of our rmed 'orces has already suffered enough and there is a dire need for
this image to be rehabilitated. $et the people know and see more of their professional
preparedness in some form. 2erhaps a large scale military e(ercise with troops e(tensively
pro4ected through media to let the people see the rmed 'orces in their real and true colour! may
help.
?epeated e(posure of rmed 'orces to politics has already done enough harm to the country. The
unenviable position in which the men in uniform find themselves today is not necessarily of their
own choosing. +ut while they are seriously disassociating themselves from the civil administration
their higher commanders must ensure that they never get involved in such situations again. They
should never underestimate the responsiveness of their people. )iven the chance they will
reciprocate with political sagacity and collective wisdom. &t is the collective will that must
predominate in democratic environments. 'or democratic traditions to get firmly established in a
country like 2akistan! divergence of opinion! non,conformist attitude of political parties and partisan
politics are a foregone conclusion.
)en. 2ervai= "usharafs era is in the focus of history. fter the recent general elections there are
ominous similarities between the years /0:/ and 2008. The decline of yubs authority appeared in
the matter of gartala conspiracy case when a trump up charge against Bheikh "u4ib,ur,?ehman!
the wami $eague leader! was withdrawn in /070. The propaganda for the economic prosperity
and other good work done in yub %hans eventful years was out rightly re4ected by the people.
The man in the street was complaining about the non,availability of the essential commodities.
The decline of )en. 2ervai= "usharafs authority appeared when the corruption charges against
+ena=ir and her husband was withdrawn through the issuance of C?. ECational ?econciliation
.rdinanceF. ll the propaganda of his turn around of the economy during his eventful era has
been re4ected by the people at large.
The man in the street is complaining of the non,availability of the essential commodities. .ne
should avoid some of the other similarities that are too obvious and too painful! to narrate.
The die has been cast. The bugle for retreat has been sounded.
The people of 2akistan have spoken through their ballot.
They are not for any politician party but against the hegemonic and archaic system.
<ow the new man on the horse back )en. 2ervai= %ayani! would like to be remembered in
historyG
The choice is his8
2olitical parties are on their old game again.
2eople of 2akistan are watching