“Welcome to Purana Pakistan.” These were the words of Bilawal Zardari after the vote of no-confidence succeeded against Imran Khan. While both Nawaz Sharif and IK seek change in their own ways, the Zardaris are comfortable with the status quo, as it suits them. After several blood sacrifices by the Bhuttos (Zulfiqar, Shahnawaz, Murtaza, Benazir), Asif Zardari continues to encash their legacy based on the principle of ‘Live and let live’.
Nawaz Sharif desires total control to establish the ‘ Sharif Dynasty ‘ but the Chief of Army Staff comes in the way. He has tried unsuccessfully three times now he is ready for the fourth under the ‘London Plan’. It n5s his life’s mission to bring the standing of the COAS to that of the Inspector General of Punjab Police who can be sent home at will. While the IGPs quietly surrendered the COASs hit back with full force as the institutional chain of command remained intact.
The Prime Minister cannot directly intervene in the affairs of the Armed Forces as they possess the weapons to guard their autonomy. Since coming into power with the support of the establishment he has clashed with every COAS (Asif Nawaz, Waheed Kakar, Jehangir Karamat, Pervez Musharraf, Raheel Sharif, Qamar Bajwa). His mentor President Ishaq Khan even blamed NS for the sudden death of Gen Asif Nawaz.
IK seeks a more rational change. He desires for the ‘Khakis ‘ to return to the barracks where they belong with due respect and strength. Degrading them to the level of Punjab Police is not his agenda. Considering the long term good of the nation and the institution, it is the best available option as the other two are no longer workable. Performance of Punjab Police is deplorable, IGs change on a quarterly basis despite a tenure assignment of three years. There is no chain of command. Law enforcers break the law with impunity, they don’t even follow the traffic signals. Major restructuring is required for them to perform.
Police Stations are auctioned. The SHOs operate on their own whims with short-term appointments. From the IGP down to the SHOs, Musical Chairs are the order of the day with lack of accountability and cover-up. In KP under IG Nasir Durrani reforms were introduced. He not only completed his term but was then sent to Punjab to carry on the reforms where his tenure was short lived.
Pakistan is at the crossroads again. The establishment is comfortable with Zardari as he ensures continuity of the old ways. The Nawaz option can be deadly for the future of the republic.
After a brief stint he went home, falling victim to the Corona Pandemic- finally the innings of an honest, able and upright police officer came to an end. Till the fateful partyless elections of 1985, the Punjab Police indulged in corruption but with the induction of ruffians it has turned into an anti-people coercive force ready to strike, never missing an opportunity to seek gratification both from the accuser and the accused.
The Khakis crossed the line with the appointment against merit of the first Desi Commander-in-Chief Gen Ayub Khan (PA 10). There were nine senior officers who were considered but General Ayub, despite a very poor service record, was promoted by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. First it was the assassination of the PM followed by blatant interference in civilian matters by Iskander Mirza and General Ayub, both graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. With the fall of Dacca in 1971, the establishment had to bite the dust. Bangladesh emerged on the world map while Bhutto took control of what was left of the Quaid’s Pakistan.
Under the 1973 constitution the command structure was changed. For better co-ordination, a new position of Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCS) was created. The post of C-in-C was replaced with COAS. With inclusion of Article 6 in the Constitution Bhutto was sure that no General would ever dare to cross the line again as its violation carried the death penalty.
As head of a progressive party of change, Bhutto succeeded in exercising control over both the Armed Forces and Police. The COAS and IGP had to behave and serve, not rule and manipulate as was the case before.
The old colonial ways were unacceptable to the ‘People’s Government’. Unfortunately the Quaid-e-Awam with the passage of time started to rely on the establishment instead of his popular support. After the term of first COAS Gen Tikka Khan ended, Bhutto fell into the same trap, and appointment against merit of Gen Zia-ul-Haq proved to be his undoing. On 5 July 1977, Zia crossed the line. In the words of Comrade Hanif Ramay, Bhutto left us from where his struggle had started, back in the lap of the establishment, and the rule of the COAS and IGP was back with full vengeance. Civilian institutions came under attack.
Since 1985 the slide down has continued unabated mainly because of the influence/interference of the COAS and complete subservience together with foul play by the IGP. Recently out of turn loyalty based promotions case of Police Officers was heard by the Supreme Court and some orders were declared null and void. In case of the appointment of COAS, Nawaz as PM has tried his best to win loyalty to expand his influence/interference in running of the force but has repeatedly failed as the successive COASs have not fully followed his directives unlike the IGPs who have lost control of their force turning it into a private militia, Even the change of uniform in Punjab had made any difference.
Pakistan is at the crossroads again. The establishment is comfortable with Zardari as he ensures continuity of the old ways. The Nawaz option can be deadly for the future of the republic. The fate of ther Punjab Police should be an eyeopener. Rule of law and constitution followed by return to the barracks is the most viable way forward. Nawaz’s anger against the armed forces or Zardari’s appeasement will not deliver. Naya Pakistan is now unstoppable. Bilawal Zardari will return to Nawabshah, the land of the Zardaris where he belongs, not Larkhana the land of the ‘Martyrs of Democracy ‘ who launched the first real political party of the country which succeeded in turning the land of the pure into a constitutional democracy to be ruled by elected representatives of the people, not by the COASs and IGP’s.
