Iskander Mirza and Ayub Khan, the first President and Desi Sipah-e-Salar respectively, were both graduates of the famous Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK. Together they connived to lay siege to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in October 1958. Instead of holding elections under the unanimous 1956 constitution, they abrogated it.
Since then, civilian authority has been an enemy of the state. Yahya Khan and Ziaul Haq were trained at the Indian Military Academy Dehradun while Pervaiz Musharraf and Qamar Javed Bajwa were graduates of the Pakistan Military Academy Kakul. The current Sipah-e-Salar Gen Asim Munir was trained at the now defunct Officers Training School at Mangla. The OTS was established in 1982 to train officers to meet the shortfall after the two wars (1965, 1971). The period of training was shorter here (one year) compared to two at PMA.
The first 16 Sipah-e-Salars were all products of UK-style Military Academies. Amongst them there were many disasters (Ayub, Yahya, Zia, Pervaiz, Qamar). It is time to revisit the structure and curriculum of our military academies to avoid future adventurism. Every graduating cadet takes oath to defend the Constitution, which they have never read or understood.
When the 1956 document was abrogated there was no resistance from within the institution. Again, when the 1973 unanimously agreed Constitution was disfigured in 1977 and 1999, no voices were raised. Most recently when the 16th chief decided to cross the line, he faced no resistance. For the nation to move forward this siege has to end. Civilian authority has to be restored. The men in uniform have to be confined to the barracks where they rightfully belong.
Mustafa Kamal Pasha was the last Muslim General to win a war against an external enemy. He was able to defeat the Allied Forces at Gallipoli in 1916. Ataturk as he was trained in the Ottoman Military Academy in Istanbul. He defended his country against the combined thrust of Britain, France and Russia.
Although he was unable to save the Ottoman Empire, he built a modern republic instead. Turkish armed forces are the pride of the Islamic Ummah. Today the republic under civilian leadership has grown by leaps and bounds. Once the sickman of Europe, today the country is flourishing. The role of the armed forces in running the country has been redefined, and they have been confined to the barracks.
After over 75 years our march towards freedom remains off the track, it is time to end this derailment that was started in October 1958 by the Sandhurst trained first Sipah-e-Salar of the republic who was promoted against merit, perhaps under external pressure from the imperial powers. By promoting him against merit, the first PM dug his own grave. While Asghar Khan emerged to be a hero, Ayub Khan proved to be a zero to be followed by four more of his kind.
Colonized nations have to carefully tread their march towards freedom. Issues of continuity and discontinuity have to be understood and handled. In the USA a fresh start was made, British imperialism was totally rejected and wiped out. Despite being a former colony of the Crown, the country never joined the ‘Commonwealth of Nations’. There was a total disconnect from the past.
Heroes and Zeroes were clearly identified and then cornered. A new education system was developed with freedom in mind. In Iran after the revolution in 1979 there was a total revamp of the academic structure. Universities and military academies were shut down to upgrade their curricula to serve not rule. The Shah’s generals were sent to the gallows. Imperialism has been buried for all times to come in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In the 1970s, \a delegation from UK visited PMA. They were surprised to see the continuity of old ways. Even the Military Boots (Ammo Shoes) had not been changed. Spontaneously someone remarked, ” You are still using our boots “? Prompt came the reply, “Yes, under our feet “. Which was far from true. Colonialism continues to dominate our minds till today.
A few years back I read an article about the ‘ Slab Guard Duty ‘ at the Scouts Mess in Chitral. About a hundred years ago a cement slab was poured in the yard of the officers mess. To protect the freshly poured slab, a guard was instructed to stand there. Since then he has not been removed. It has now been turned into a regular duty. In the year 2004, I personally visited the site after which I wrote an article titled; ” The Slab Guard is still there “. Infact they are everywhere, and as a nation we have not been able to free ourselves from the past. The ‘ Guards ‘ are no longer required to misguide us, they have to be removed for the nation to move forward.
A major institutional overhaul is needed. On August 14, 1973 after the enactment of the unanimously agreed constitution Pakistan emerged as a constitutional democracy. All Government of India Acts should have been nullified but unfortunately they were not. The resistance to change is mindboggling. Guns overrule laws. Asif Zardari as President shook hands with the Presidential Guards on duty. He was advised to follow protocal and keep distance, but he commented; ” But hey have the guns”. The guns have to be directed towards the borders, not the boardrooms of civilian authority. A few rogue generals cannot be allowed to play with the future of the nation and its coming generations.
Air Marshal Asghar Khan was the first Desi Air Chief while Ayub Khan managed to become the Sipah-e-Salar against merit. Asghar Khan was an able and honest leader who built the Air Force with dedication. The PAF has served the nation well with outstanding performance. Leaders who followed were also world-class, like Air Marshal Nur Khan, Air Marshal Zulfiqar Ali Khan, and Air Commodore M.M. Alam, to name a few stars.
By contrast Ayub crossed the line. He weakened civilian institutions. Instead of the nation, empire-building started under his mis-rule. For the motherland, perhaps he was the biggest disaster that came out of the Military Academy of the imperial power. In 1962, Pakistan could have liberated Kashmir but the opportunity was lost as the leader was compromised. The 1965 war was a total misadventure. Pakistan was saved by the valour of junior officers like Major Aziz Bhatti, Captain Abid Majid, Sqn Ldr M.M. Alam etc. The strategy and planning were seriously flawed. While the advanceat Akhnoor was slowed down by the sudden change of command, there were no reinforcements to defend Lahore and Sialkot which came under attack.
Iqbal talked about ‘Academic Manipulation of thought’, ” Gala to ghont dia ahle-madrassa nay tera” (Your throat has been choked by the learning institution you attended ). Every institution has to be aligned with the needs of the nation with freedom at the core. Sandhurst may be good for the UK but its curriculum has not been aligned to serve the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which is a constitutional democracy not an imperial monarchy. Our heroes and zeroes are not the same.
After over 75 years our march towards freedom remains off the track, it is time to end this derailment that was started in October 1958 by the Sandhurst trained first Sipah-e-Salar of the republic who was promoted against merit, perhaps under external pressure from the imperial powers. By promoting him against merit, the first PM dug his own grave. While Asghar Khan emerged to be a hero, Ayub Khan proved to be a zero to be followed by four more of his kind.
