sady
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The army chief recently quelled rumours about his extension in service however in doing so has raised even more questions and uncertainties. It is no doubt a decision of a professional soldier, selfless and an honorable person who understands the personality versus institution quagmire. This has also blown a breath of life to a government either too fear stricken or in a total lack of capacity to tackle the woes that afflict this country. From doctoring fake economic indicators to over reliance on CPEC demonstrates the state of affairs. The visible sigh of relief by government and opposition alike did not help the matters.
The change in command, what does it signify, for army and Pakistan in general? To answer this question we need to indulge in a psychological analysis or a brief look into a mind of a General , waiting in line to become the most powerful man in Pakistan. What transpires through his mind is almost certainly going to dictate future line of action for Pakistan atleast in domains of Foreign Policy and fight against terror. In saying this I must admit some part of me feels the pain that a common Pakistani in the end it all boils down to this moment if history to formulate what is in store for him. Is it going to be few more years of ceaseless blood shed or tentative peace?
Pakistan Army has a very robust rank and structure. Lines of command clearly defined and a culture of following it in letter and spirit. Insubordination is dealt with swift and iron hand and dissent is strongly discouraged. Dissent sometimes can be judged as taking a line not in tune with general consensus of officers. Conferences and meeting are organised at different tiers of command structures. Promotions are decided by a board chaired by COAS based on merit and professional accumen. The dynamics of these conferences also play a major role in thinking and development of professional faculties . A General Officer usually goes through numerous courses, excercises, war games and informal discussions with colleagues over a wide range of topics by the time he has the opportunity to lead as COAS.
The Corps Commander's Conference is a venue where final polishing of strategic understanding takes place. It is where a General who was previously only exposed to matters of military importance now has to deal and discuss matters of national importance as well. The nature of issues dictates the level of discussion and how much Corps Commanders give their input. General Officers with more seniority(retiring before COAS) tend to be more vocal while junior Corps Commanders tend to be more cautious and non committal.
'What will be my approach in this issue? or How would I respond to this problem if I was a Chief' is a question probably every hopeful General thinks during these lengthy conferences. At times the difference in opinion is thought better not to be voiced if the expected line of Chief is already well known. These tiny differences over a long period of time formulate a firm line of thought and plan. If we consider this background of how a General comes to be, we can have some insight into the mind of a future Chief , the challenges and the changes we can expect in the policies pursued.
The departure of RH leaves very large boots to fill in for the next Chief. He will have to match the charisma, popularity, efficiency and most of all walk a fine line between nudging Government to act and then maintain an image of Professionalism. Not everyone has the same Charisma, image or an air about them. There are some who like to remain in background and pull strings while others act with bravado. Some who rely on intellect and some who rely on instincts. The most troublesome thought for any future chief would be to battle this larger than life image and find a niche for himself. He will be mindful of the fact that nation already expects super human response from him. He will be needed to act as a deliverer of miracles during times of natural disasters, emergencies, terrorism, foreign aggression, corruption, international relations and development works. If the new chief goes for massive PR excercise to replicate the image of RH it will be construed as a shallow excercise and not becoming of a leader of Armed forces.
Apart from image building another possible conflict point is whether the the new COAS agrees that the current line of action. If we are looking towards continuity of policies it is of paramount importance that the new Chief believes the current course is indeed the right one. This can only be ensured if the new chief is part of team that formulated and took part in defining directions and pathway. Corps Commanders conference is an over view body of policies. Day to day business and homework is carried out by DG MO, CGS and with some influence of strategically important 10 Corps Commander, DG ISPR and DG I. If Nawaz Sharif bypasses the Core team and appoints someone from the periphery then we are looking at a possible if not probable change. Which does not necessarily mean it is going to be damaging for the country because our enemy is also evolving with passing time. We cannot remain stuck with redundant policies and throwing something surprising into the mix will keep this fight fresh. However if we think it is in our national interest to continue with this good work then the best man to do it is the CGS, who works more closelywith Chief than anybody else.
Armed forces are an integral part of our future as a nation. The desired role of our Armed forces as a protector from external and internal threats has been streched to many other venues and theatres. Civilian ownership of National Interest is the end point and a conclusion everyone should strive for. The future Chief and the associated security challenges are speculations and predictions at best. General Raheel Shareef has still a long ardous journey ahead and still has one third of his tenure left and is not a part of History books yet.Micro dissection of Armed Forces and its leadership sometimes leads to unreliable conclusions and unnecessary public scrutiny. Pak Army is a professional force which keeps National interest above all others and will keep working in support for a prosperous and a strong Pakistan.
The change in command, what does it signify, for army and Pakistan in general? To answer this question we need to indulge in a psychological analysis or a brief look into a mind of a General , waiting in line to become the most powerful man in Pakistan. What transpires through his mind is almost certainly going to dictate future line of action for Pakistan atleast in domains of Foreign Policy and fight against terror. In saying this I must admit some part of me feels the pain that a common Pakistani in the end it all boils down to this moment if history to formulate what is in store for him. Is it going to be few more years of ceaseless blood shed or tentative peace?
Pakistan Army has a very robust rank and structure. Lines of command clearly defined and a culture of following it in letter and spirit. Insubordination is dealt with swift and iron hand and dissent is strongly discouraged. Dissent sometimes can be judged as taking a line not in tune with general consensus of officers. Conferences and meeting are organised at different tiers of command structures. Promotions are decided by a board chaired by COAS based on merit and professional accumen. The dynamics of these conferences also play a major role in thinking and development of professional faculties . A General Officer usually goes through numerous courses, excercises, war games and informal discussions with colleagues over a wide range of topics by the time he has the opportunity to lead as COAS.
The Corps Commander's Conference is a venue where final polishing of strategic understanding takes place. It is where a General who was previously only exposed to matters of military importance now has to deal and discuss matters of national importance as well. The nature of issues dictates the level of discussion and how much Corps Commanders give their input. General Officers with more seniority(retiring before COAS) tend to be more vocal while junior Corps Commanders tend to be more cautious and non committal.
'What will be my approach in this issue? or How would I respond to this problem if I was a Chief' is a question probably every hopeful General thinks during these lengthy conferences. At times the difference in opinion is thought better not to be voiced if the expected line of Chief is already well known. These tiny differences over a long period of time formulate a firm line of thought and plan. If we consider this background of how a General comes to be, we can have some insight into the mind of a future Chief , the challenges and the changes we can expect in the policies pursued.
The departure of RH leaves very large boots to fill in for the next Chief. He will have to match the charisma, popularity, efficiency and most of all walk a fine line between nudging Government to act and then maintain an image of Professionalism. Not everyone has the same Charisma, image or an air about them. There are some who like to remain in background and pull strings while others act with bravado. Some who rely on intellect and some who rely on instincts. The most troublesome thought for any future chief would be to battle this larger than life image and find a niche for himself. He will be mindful of the fact that nation already expects super human response from him. He will be needed to act as a deliverer of miracles during times of natural disasters, emergencies, terrorism, foreign aggression, corruption, international relations and development works. If the new chief goes for massive PR excercise to replicate the image of RH it will be construed as a shallow excercise and not becoming of a leader of Armed forces.
Apart from image building another possible conflict point is whether the the new COAS agrees that the current line of action. If we are looking towards continuity of policies it is of paramount importance that the new Chief believes the current course is indeed the right one. This can only be ensured if the new chief is part of team that formulated and took part in defining directions and pathway. Corps Commanders conference is an over view body of policies. Day to day business and homework is carried out by DG MO, CGS and with some influence of strategically important 10 Corps Commander, DG ISPR and DG I. If Nawaz Sharif bypasses the Core team and appoints someone from the periphery then we are looking at a possible if not probable change. Which does not necessarily mean it is going to be damaging for the country because our enemy is also evolving with passing time. We cannot remain stuck with redundant policies and throwing something surprising into the mix will keep this fight fresh. However if we think it is in our national interest to continue with this good work then the best man to do it is the CGS, who works more closelywith Chief than anybody else.
Armed forces are an integral part of our future as a nation. The desired role of our Armed forces as a protector from external and internal threats has been streched to many other venues and theatres. Civilian ownership of National Interest is the end point and a conclusion everyone should strive for. The future Chief and the associated security challenges are speculations and predictions at best. General Raheel Shareef has still a long ardous journey ahead and still has one third of his tenure left and is not a part of History books yet.Micro dissection of Armed Forces and its leadership sometimes leads to unreliable conclusions and unnecessary public scrutiny. Pak Army is a professional force which keeps National interest above all others and will keep working in support for a prosperous and a strong Pakistan.
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