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Hail to the chief : Economist

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Politicians are overshadowed by a publicity-seeking general

THE image of a mustachioed man with peaked cap and a chest full of medals is becoming hard to avoid in Pakistan. It is splashed across the posters of a politician competing in a by-election in the eastern city of Lahore. It looms large on giant billboards in the port city of Karachi, apparently paid for by adoring citizens. And it is a rare day when Pakistan’s chief of army staff is not pictured on a newspaper front page. He has even entered the colourful repertoire of artists who decorate the nation’s trucks and rickshaws.

The apotheosis of General Raheel Sharif (pictured, wearing beret) makes it harder than ever for his unrelated namesake, Nawaz Sharif, who is prime minister, to claw back powers from an army that has directly and indirectly controlled Pakistan for most of its history. Nawaz Sharif’s election victory in 2013 resulted in the country’s first transfer of power from one civilian government to another. But the extent of his authority is debatable: the army is reasserting itself.

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This marks quite a turnaround for an institution that eight years ago was so unpopular that off-duty soldiers in the most restive areas were advised not to wear their uniforms in public. The long rule of General Pervez Musharraf, a coup-maker, had seriously tarnished the army’s prestige. A particular setback was the violence unleashed in central Islamabad in 2007 when General Musharraf decided to clear out a pro-Taliban mosque in the heart of the city. The army was humiliated in 2011 when the public discovered Osama bin Laden had been hiding next to the country’s officer-training school and that American special forces had been able to penetrate deep into Pakistan to kill him.

Today the army is riding high, buoyed by an improvement in security following a decision in June 2014 to launch an all-out campaign against the Pakistani Taliban. Many credit General Sharif with taking the initiative. Operation Zarb-e-Azb has seen key towns in the former Taliban sanctuary of North Waziristan retaken by the state. Militants have been hunted down elsewhere, particularly in Karachi, which had been a major centre of Taliban activity. All this work has helped cut militant violence by nearly half in the last nine months, according to the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, a think-tank in Islamabad.

At the same time the army has been waging a public-relations war, promoting General Sharif as a star. The media dutifully report on his every visit to the front lines and publish photographs of every honour-guard he inspects during his numerous overseas trips.

That General Sharif should receive more than usual publicity is understandable given the country remains mired in a bloody internal conflict. On September 18th 13 Taliban suicide-fighters fought their way into a residential compound of Pakistan’s air force near the city of Peshawar and killed 29 people. Sustaining public support for a war against Islamist militants is tricky given that many on the religious right sympathise with the Taliban’s goal of a strict sharia state and often avoid condemning their means of achieving it.

But the constant boosting of the army has come at the price of undermining Pakistan’s civilian rulers, who come across as petty and ineffectual characters compared with the go-getting General Sharif. Aides to the prime minister have been reduced to pleading with journalists at least to mention him when reporting on events dominated by the army chief. Veterans of Mr Sharif’s faction within the Pakistan Muslim League say it is the latest battle in a decades-old fight for supremacy between generals and civilians.

Mr Sharif’s hopes of using his landslide majority to clip the army’s wings and run his own foreign policy have so far come to nothing. A trade deal with India has foundered because of the army’s opposition and the difficulties of dealing with a hardline government in Delhi. The trial on charges of high treason of General Musharraf, who ousted Mr Sharif in a coup in 1999, has been kicked into the long grass.

Few believe the military men are planning another formal takeover. That would likely trigger international sanctions, which the cash-strapped country can ill afford. The army would have little to gain: it already dominates foreign affairs and defence policy, its biggest preoccupations.

There is much speculation, however, that General Sharif will be given an extension of his three-year term in office. He is due to step down in November 2016. Many clamour for him to stay for at least another term. General Musharraf recently echoed these calls. If he does stay on, it would be a setback for civilian government. (There would be a precedent: Ashfaq Kyani, his predecessor, who was credited with rolling back the army’s involvement in politics under General Musharraf, was given an extension in 2010.)

The aura surrounding the army chief has extinguished what little public scrutiny there was of his institution. Such oversight is badly needed as the army’s power expands. Military courts have started hearing terrorism cases. The army sits on “apex committees” that co-ordinate security matters in each of the four provinces. Through the paramilitary Rangers force it is largely in charge of policing in Karachi.

No one is calling for a drive against the corruption that pervades the army’s vast commercial empire. Nor have questions been asked by Pakistan’s media about how so many gunmen were able to enter the air force camp near Peshawar. General Sharif rushed to the scene and met injured troops. After the attackers were killed his spokesman pronounced the army’s response “a huge success”—another feather in the cap of Pakistan’s strongman.


http://www.economist.com/news/asia/...shadowed-publicity-seeking-general-hail-chief
 
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Gen Sharif is honest man fighting against corruption and terrorism. We need him to continue his legacy till logical end. However he don't want to take over it is propaganda against him as he is acting against white collar criminals as well. During sit in it was an ideal time for Gen Sharif to roll back democracy but it is not his agenda.
His agenda is terror and corruption free Pakistan. He is working hard for the right cause. How a man can see a country deteriorating, and stay quite, a country for which His brother and uncle sacrified thier lives.
Can you choose to be dishonest with the blood of your beloved brother or uncle?
He knows importance and price of freedom more than any other keyboard warrior.
 
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General Sharif is loved because his family has bled for Pakistan in 2 wars & he has shown everyone what an Army is really capable of. Hats off to him, I don't want him to accept another term.
 
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Gen Sharif is honest man fighting against corruption and terrorism. We need him to continue his legacy till logical end. However he don't want to take over it is propaganda against him as he is acting against white collar criminals as well. During sit in it was an ideal time for Gen Sharif to roll back democracy but it is not his agenda.
His agenda is terror and corruption free Pakistan. He is working hard for the right cause. How a man can see a country deteriorating, and stay quite, a country for which His brother and uncle sacrified thier lives.
Can you choose to be dishonest with the blood of your beloved brother or uncle?
He knows importance and price of freedom more than any other keyboard warrior.

What COAS has anything to do with corruption in Pakistani Society ? This is not his job to do.
 
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I firmly believe that Raheel should not accept an extension, and should instead step down and run for the top job, as a politician. He would win, it would be good for the country's economy and security, not to mention that it would strengthen democratic civil institutions.
 
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I firmly believe that Raheel should not accept an extension, and should instead step down and run for the top job, as a politician. He would win, it would be good for the country's economy and security, not to mention that it would strengthen democratic civil institutions.
What does he gain by doing that though? Defence and foreign policy is already with the army and the remaining portfolios are just headaches.
 
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What does he gain by doing that though? Defence and foreign policy is already with the army and the remaining portfolios are just headaches.
To have a long lasting legacy? The love and respect of a nation? To be remembered after he's gone?

He has built up a lot of influence and respect within the army, and if he were to become a civilian ruler, I doubt the army would try and wrestle with him on power sharing. There have been previous COAS that have thought about it, Gen. Shareef is the first realistic option that I know of, that could completely succeed without destroying democratic institutions.
 
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What does he gain by doing that though? Defence and foreign policy is already with the army and the remaining portfolios are just headaches.
He can actually get those portfolios back since he's the one promoting generals now. In 5 years, the seniors would be the one selected by him. So in a way he can bring the portfolios back under civilians.

Honestly I don't mind if he chooses constitutional way to be prime minister or whatever. US has seen it happen (bush fought in wars). Perhaps that is what is on his mind, he rather be elected officially and serve 5 years through civilian consensus than topple govt and serve same 5 years with backlash or sanctions.

I don't think he will run for politics however. He had a berry good chance back in 2014.
 
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To have a long lasting legacy? The love and respect of a nation? To be remembered after he's gone?

He has built up a lot of influence and respect within the army, and if he were to become a civilian ruler, I doubt the army would try and wrestle with him on power sharing. There have been previous COAS that have thought about it, Gen. Shareef is the first realistic option that I know of, that could completely succeed without destroying democratic institutions.

Maybe...but remember that is what Musharaff tried to do...when he took over in a coup people really loved him, he came across as bluff, straight talking modernizer. There were so many pictures of him and his dog, everyone knew he liked whiskey and had a soft spot for the ladies. He was supposed to bring in toughness and modernize instead, he got all mixed up in the regressive politics and was forced out as probably one of the most hated leaders.

Pakistan is one of the hardest countires in the world to run.

He can actually get those portfolios back since he's the one promoting generals now. In 5 years, the seniors would be the one selected by him. So in a way he can bring the portfolios back under civilians.

Honestly I don't mind if he chooses constitutional way to be prime minister or whatever. US has seen it happen (bush fought in wars). Perhaps that is what is on his mind, he rather be elected officially and serve 5 years through civilian consensus than topple govt and serve same 5 years with backlash or sanctions.

I don't think he will run for politics however. He had a berry good chance back in 2014.
So you would support him running for president if he decides to in the future? But isn't the current civilian government doing a fair job considering the mess they inherited? The economy is looking up,new power projects are in the pipeline, Solar energy is being given priority, cPEC, why not give them more time?
 
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Generals normally make bad political leaders. As generals they are used to authoritarian way of living and chain of command, 2 things that have virtually zero value in political arena. Thats why you rarely see a successful retired General as a successful politician. Mushy probably came the closest
 
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Maybe...but remember that is what Musharaff tried to do...when he took over in a coup people really loved him, he came across as bluff, straight talking modernizer. There were so many pictures of him and his dog, everyone knew he liked whiskey and had a soft spot for the ladies. He was supposed to bring in toughness and modernize instead, he got all mixed up in the regressive politics and was forced out as probably one of the most hated leaders.

Pakistan is one of the hardest countires in the world to run.


So you would support him running for president if he decides to in the future? But isn't the current civilian government doing a fair job considering the mess they inherited? The economy is looking up,new power projects are in the pipeline, Solar energy is being given priority, cPEC, why not give them more time?

I don't think I would support him being a president out rightly (pm you mean? President is symbolic).

I'd support him for defense ministry as he did a bit of teaching in army. But he will have to work his way up. Surely he can climb the ladder within one term.

However he can't take part in 2018 elections as when he retires in 2016, only 1.5 would've passed out of 3 years. 2023 will be when he can participate or unless he take part in by election post 2019 December
 
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