While Pakistan has been brought to the brink of political and economic disaster, should we keep watching as silent spectators?
The job of the army is to defend the country & the people and to sacrifice their lives in the fulfillment of this noble duty, the martyrs are already giving their blood and lives every day.
Soldiering has been a prestigious and respected profession for centuries. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ ) was also a great General to be emulated.
Its NOT the job of the Pak Army is to make themselves dirty with political filth.
Soldiers do not trade their honor and pride for petty gains. Pak Army need to remain prestigious as ever.
There is urgent need of result oriented dialogue among three main pollical power players to find amicable political and economic solution.
We have to raise our voice and do every possible effort within law to force them to do it for Pakistan.
In these circumstances, it is important that patriotic people come forward and establish pressure groups, big or small, with only One Point Agenda; Save Pakistan, talk only about Pakistan without affiliation to any political party.
Urge consultation and dialogue among all.
Insist on finding solutions to problems through dialogue (شوری)
"...who conduct their affairs with consultation ( وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ) among themselves" (Quran 48:38)
No one should try to impose his will on others, this mind set is root cause of disaster. Consider all the logical arguments to find solution.
The Pak Pressure Groups should include intellectuals, professors, economists, businessmen, doctors, engineers, youth, students, religious people, workers, farmers, landlords, retired bureaucrats & military officers, citizens of every class. creed or faith. They should protest in every city, town, region, social, print and electronic media to build up pressure on the powerful elite to find ways to get Pakistan out of the current political and economic quagmire.
Silence is not our choice, we have an obligation, duty, its our responsibility ordained by Allah and the Messengerﷺ of Allah (Quran 8:25, 7:164-165, details follow)
- Let's #SavePakistan 🇵🇰
Let's #SavePakistan Army 🇵🇰
- Rise and fall of Nations – Law of Quran
- قرآن کا قانون عروج و زوال اقوام
- https://bit.ly/NationsRiseFal
WHY DO MARTIAL LAWS FAIL?
Ikram Sehgal, the renowned defence and political analyst in his article ”Why martial laws go horribly wrong” quoted his earlier article of June 29, 1995, ‘Why do martial laws fail?’ He writes:
“Martial laws/ Hybrid Regimes fail because the initiators of all extra-constitutional rule ride into town on tanks with the lofty aim of saving the country, relying on that platonic national purpose to make themselves credible. They soon adjust the aim to more material (and less patriotic) reasons of self-perpetuation. The original aim remains publicly the same, and becomes an exercise in self-delusion.
This diversion of aim means that one individual or group is simply replaced by another (or others), instead of being a transition mechanism that provides for and facilitates the process of the democratic system being repaired and renovated to reflect the real genius and aspirations of the people.
Martial laws fail because the armed forces get themselves involved in mundane, routine bureaucratic duties that they are not supposed to be involved in.
Martial laws fail because those who impose martial laws do not have correct knowledge about the working of the state or the individuals who run it, and soon surround themselves with sycophants who are usually holdovers from previous governments.” When he imposed his form of martial law in 1999, Musharraf had no intention of heeding this advice rendered in print as far back as 1995. One doubts any future military dictator will; power is a great aphrodisiac.
By the time Musharraf exited, the army’s name was in mud within the country, and outside. Where once the uniform was worn with pride, it became a target of public anger and scorn. (striking resemblance to present, look at Army image building campaign in the media to calm down angry public) Rumor had it that somehow the army’s image had to be reinstated in public eyes.
Why is Corrupt Political Leadership Installed by the Military?
Instructors in army schools of learning are called ‘Directing Staff’ (DS). Students plan out various alternatives; the ‘plan’ the instructors prefer is called the “DS solution”. To bring the army back from the dumps, the DS solution was to have a predictably corrupt political leader in place against whom all the collective public venom would be directed, and this would deflect public anger away from the army. The calculated risk was that he would not change, but if he did, even that would be counted as a plus. Zardari helped considerably by his recent Nero-like presidential jaunt to London and Paris while the country drowned. This confirmed him as easily the most hated person ever in Pakistan’s history. He couldn’t care less; such revulsion has never really bothered him.
The army’s success in counter-insurgency (COIN) operations, achieved through great sacrifice in blood by all ranks, was a major turnaround for the army’s image. The massive flood relief effort is acting as a force-multiplier bonus to bring the army back to its pedestal in public eyes.
With both positive and negative lessons learnt from the 1999 Pakistan and 2006 Bangladesh military interventions, a refined ‘Pakistan model’ must still remain the route of last resort.
Uniformed personnel have no business running the government (or for that matter businesses); they must support the honest and capable in governance. Martial laws with platonic intentions end up perpetuating individual rule, as happened in Musharraf’s case, and can go wrong, horribly, horribly wrong.
Readers may draw parallels with present mess.
- Milpolitik, Hybrid Politics (denied by the military but ground realities prove otherwise) but as it exists, is more harmful, because it enables the military establishment to evade responsibility. Enjoying Power without responsibility and acting as kingmaker to shuffle, reshuffle the civilian governments like a musical chair game will take us nowhere. This must end, the military should provide stability to the political system and fully concentrate toward the new security challenges before another catastrophe.
- George Washington (1732–1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army, Washington led the Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and served as the president of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which created the Constitution of the United States and the American federal government. Washington has been called the “Father of the Nation” for his manifold leadership in the formative days of the country. He never thought of martial law but constitution was his gift to the nation.
- General Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Republic from 1944 to 1946 in order to restore democracy in France. In 1958, he came out of retirement when appointed President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) by President René Coty. He rewrote the Constitution of France and founded the Fifth Republic after approval by referendum. He was elected President of France later that year, a position to which he was reelected in 1965 and held until his resignation in 1969. He did not go for martial law.
- Martial Law is for the defence forces, not for civil rule, which requires a constitution.
- The Ideology of Pakistan / Two Nation Theory cannot be relegated or replaced, it must always be the basis of any system in Pakistan. Strict adherence to the “Ahkam-Al-Quran is the only way for survival and progress for Pakistan to root out moral degradation and corruption.
- The Law of Quran on “Rise and fall of Nations” must be kept in view.
“– If you turn away, He will replace you with another nation; they will not be you”.(Quran 47:38)
CORRUPTION
The corrupt leaders justify corruption by saying that, “corruption is necessary for development and progress, if we stop corruption the economy will come to stand still” This immoral logic is not supported by ground realities. If we look at the world ranking in Corruption Index, the countries with least corruption would not be among the developed and rich top ten countries; Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands. Luxembourg and Germany. Pakistan is at 140th along with Mayanmar, Mauritania while South Sunad is 180 being the most corrupt country. According to the logic of Pakistani corrupt leaders South Sudan should be amnog most developed countries.
Pakistan is an Islamic State, where the law of Quran and Sunnah stands supreme, and according to Quran corruption, bribery is prohibited. Had there been some benefit Allah would have allowed it, which is not the case.
“Do not misappropriate one another’s property unjustly, nor bribe the judges, in order to misappropriate a part of other people’s property, sinfully and knowingly. (Quran 2:188).
How can they make Haram (prohibited) as Halaal (permissible)? This is only the prerogative of God, any one doing it is indulging in Shirk (polytheism) or Kufr. ,
“Say, “Did you note how GOD sends down to you all kinds of provisions, then you render some of them unlawful, and some lawful?” Say, “Did GOD give you permission to do this? Or, do you fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD?”(10:59)
Qaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said:
Corruption is a curse in India and amongst Muslims, especially the so called educated and intelligencia. Unfortunately, it is this class that is selfish and morally and intellectually corrupt. No doubt this disease is common, but amongst this particular class of Muslims it is rampant. [M.A.Jinnah, to Ispahani, 6 May 1945]
Corruption is not a problem for ruling circles (political and military). The corrupt people have been installed to power, says deposed PM, it would have been better to drop an atomic bomb on Pakistan. Accountability would have been stronger if eight or ten people had been convicted but the NAB and the judiciary are under their control.
Ex Chairman NAB (National Accountability Bureau) Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal said that corruption is the main reason why we are in trouble. If steps are not taken to eradicate corruption, Kashkool (begging bowl) will remain in hand. There is no doubt that corruption and looting are rampant in the country. Corrupt elements and thieves would have ended corruption by now if they had obeyed the sermons and admonitions but they only understand the language of punishment. That is why the NAB has been set up under the constitution and law of the country, whose main function is to crack down on corrupt elements and bring them to justice and recover the looted money wealth property. It is the responsibility of the Chairman NAB to recover the money looted from the corrupt elements. All the loyalties of NAB are with the state of Pakistan. The state is weakening due to corruption. The money should be returned but also steps should be taken to eradicate corruption. It is the responsibility of NAB to immediately approach the court on the cases of persons who have looted billions of rupees and caused damage to the national exchequer.
Military should not appear to be supporting corrupt politicians, it undermine their position. Patriotic Pakistanis do not want their respected Armed Forces to stand on the wrong side of history Army tops should just stand for the Right (Haqq), people have high expectations and hopes, don’t disappoint them!
“Our mission is only to convey the message clearly”(Quran:36:17)
GETTING OUT OF QUAGMIRE
Rationalization of powers of Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, Military and Media, through reforms is the need of the hour to create a balance. Because in Pakistani environments any pillar with more powers tends to misuse it and undermine the role of other pillars of state. Checks and balances in each are required. Self accountability is not effective, it is mostly used to white wash and coverup blaming others.
The office of President can be made potent to paly such a role. Presently he should immediately constitute and call a meeting of Guardian Council of Elders (Think Tank, not constitutional amendment required), comprising highly respected non controversial statesmen, intellectuals , retired, senior politicians, civil & military officers, Judges, lawyers, journalists, economists, writers, professors, social scientists, religious scholars and experts from other fields and segments of society. (around 50 people). It should be such a balanced forum, that no one should be able to point fingers. This Group should discuss, debate the current situation, find possible solutions, the unanimous recommendations (with additional points if any one be annexed) be forwarded to the PM, and opposition leader (real). Chief Justice, COAS and other top people, and be published in the media. [Later efforts can be made to make it a permanent constitutional forum with authority and responsibility for mega crisis management, less than Iranian Guardian Council of clerics]
This will exert pressure on all important institutions and people to wake up and resolve the national crisis in the best national interest alone.
