This is a failed General (and a friend of Musharraf), who won't lose ANY chance to bash the system. What these fools don't understand, is how bad they make Pakistan look!!!! The military doesn't and can't take over the country. They have to follow the Civilian order, or be ready to lose the Chinese and the American investments, weapons and all. AND then, there will be a revolution where the people will throw the military away. Unless the military would like to use all of the higher tech F-16's, Mirages and munitions on its own millions of citizens who'll come out to support the democracy. Not to mention, who will pay for soldiers salaries, benefits, guaranteed future for fallen soldier's kids and all?
A country is born first, through leaders who form the first government. Then constitution is developed that then has the Military, Judiciary and all in it.
Pakistan wasn't founded by generals. It was a struggle of millions of people who lost lives during the partition. There was no Pakistani Army then. So the country belongs to the Civilians. NOT to the military, nor can the military NOW, run this country. They can sure break it if that's the adventure they'd like to do
Stupid articles like this, are seen by the remainder of the world in the following light (very negatively). I am posting just a few comments posted underneath the article. These are all Westerners posting, not Pakistanis or Indians. So these old "hawkish" generals, who couldn't do jack in real life, should know how stupid they make their country look!!
rtnguy •
3 days ago
I pity the pakistanis. Their army is worse than wolves
Armed forces constitutional role is to defend the Country from external and internal threats. If due to bad governance by some other institution, there are threats to Country's security, it is the job of Armed forces to voice concerns. Instead of being a silent spectator and then taking all the blame after some terrible incident.
1971 was a crisis created by politicians, mishandled by all (including military), suffered by state and afterwards blamed wholly on Armed forces. Politicians walked away free and ruled like kings happily afterwards.
The meaning of this issue has been blown out of proportion. This entire thing was meant for KPK, Sindh and Baluchistan governments in reference to post military cleanup situation.
Voicing concerns is fine. But that's it. The civilians get to make the call. If this was India, you'd have an active duty general fired by the PM on the spot. No questions asked.
In the US, a very, very senior general leading two wars, could make a comment, and immediately flown from Afghanistan to the White House, where the US President meets with him, FIRES him, and then tells the media "this step was necessary in maintaining CIVILIAN control over the military". I think enough said. There will NEVER be another military rule in Pakistan, unless the military wants to kill 10-20 million of her own people and break the country. Civilian rule is the ONLY option left for Pakistan. Having concerns and voicing them is great. But that voicing is ALL that can happen.
But I do agree, the concern was legitimate here. It wasn't for the federal government, it was on the provincial level governments where the military ops are being conducted like Sindh, KPK and Baluchistan. Outside of Baluchistan, Sindh has a HUGE good governance issue, in KPK, Mr. Khan has YET to pay attention. He has been too busy trying to forcefully take over the government. So Sindh and KPK DO NEED to put in good governance, so that post military cleanup, the environment is stable and the local governments do provide safety to all.