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How to limit the influence of the Pakistan Army

Limit them to Borders and Barracks
Nationalize/Sell/close all fauji businesses
No plots to generals.. Limit retirement packages on par with countries with similar level of economy
Ban appointment of Army /ex army personal in all Civil positions
Make army recruitment and promotions transparent /accountable
Make laws to approve all defense purchases by Parliament / and defence expenses audit by Civil administration

 
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Leaving aside the hyperboles and extreme reactions, the only way to control the army is for our politicians to sit down and not play with the devil themselves.

The day the politicians do not go to the army for cheap deals or concessions, or help to get into power (and as a consequence be beholden to them), the influence of the army will decrease.

Secondly, the day they stop doing corruption and giving the army something to hold them by the balls, they will no longer need to be compliant.

Once these two things happen, the influence of the army will decrease.

Army will try and stamp it's authority, but the civilian leader will have enough moral ground to stand firm.

Note, where I say army, I mean the establishment. I like to keep the two things different.
 
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Massive and credible social media campaign exposing all their designs AND massive schooling campaigns like the erdogan/gulen model educational movement 8-12 class in large cities should have started LONG TIME ago.
 
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It is not necessary for us to have an army, as this army will never go into battle. It is a known fact that this pakistan nation has always fought alongside the army. Moreover, it is the Pakistani nation who goes out and defends itself against enemy. However, right now, what I am witnessing in our nation is a show of cowardice due to the abduction of their family members by Muneera Mistry.
 
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One quick solution to limit Army influence:

All Lt Generals and COAS positions shall have their balls chopped off before accepting the role.

It is not necessary for us to have an army, as this army will never go into battle. It is a known fact that this pakistan nation has always fought alongside the army. Moreover, it is the Pakistani nation who goes out and defends itself against enemy. However, right now, what I am witnessing in our nation is a show of cowardice due to the abduction of their family members by Muneera Mistry.
A strong Army is very necessary for the state but so man useless Generals are not really required. They should increase educational requirements, like PHD at least for those seniority roles.
 
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I am surprised no one mentioned the 'K' word here: 'Kashmir'.
Pakistan has been a Security State from Day 1. Until the Kashmir issue is resolved between Pakistan and India, Pakistan will remain a Security State. Those wishing for some alternatives are living in a fool's paradise. Until then, the military will remain of paramount importance.
 
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Thie Pakistani culture which includes habits, social behaviours and inclinations is extremely defected. It starts with "tu menu jandaa nhe" in school colleges, mohallas, that then goes up in different gov insituations and the army. If you ever lived in Pakistan you already know people have this habit of overpowering others (sometimes without any reason). This is the thing Army gets as inheritance and uses it at a much bigger level. They have overpowered every other institution from business to security, from politics to policy-making, they are everywhere. I dont think army and their families will easily give up the privileges which "tu menu janda nhe system" bestows on them. If we are to limit the influence of the army we need to first work to uproot this system at grassroot level, which may take a long time, may be 100 years, to bear fruits.
Take responsibility and produce a constructive momentum.
Destruction-only can only be the enemy's agenda.
پاکستان کو ایک ایسی تحریک کی ضرورت ہے جو لوگوں کام کرنے پر راضی کرے۔ ایک ایسی تحریک جو صحیح اور غلط کا فرق لوگوں کو بتائے، اور لوگ خود بخود ناصرف صحیح اور غلط کا فرق کرنے لگیں بلکہ غلط کو ایسے رستے سے ہٹائیں کہ پتہ بھی نہ چلے اور معاشرہ خود کو ٹھیک کرتا جائے، خودبخود۔
 
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COAS coming under Defense Secretary.

ISI appointed by PM whose a civilian. The director heads under ISI should also be civilians. Not retired army personnels but civilians.

Nationalize and eventually privatize army’s economic interests. Fauji Fertilizers, Askari Bank, DHA etc.

And Article 6 on Bajwa and Asim.
 
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Consistency: Army cannot claim they are neutrals now, they won't interfere in politics when every new coas changes the whole game. You'll look like class 1 idiots.

1. Limit coas powers, by making air force and navy with the same strength and status, if coas decides to coup as long as other 2 rejects it army wouldn't be able to do marshal law.
2. Limit business: Army shouldn't be allowed to participate in any business other than Military production and strategic value, no fauji fertilizer, no fauji foods.
3. Illegalize military extensions
4. Civilians should not be tried under military courts neither court marshalled
5. Revoke Blood money laws
6. Weaken army chief powers and distribute it between lower staff
7. Strengthen prime ministers office
8. Shut down ISI Political wing, all political spying should be only in IB's domain and again all spying materials should be digitally documented.
9. Media released as leaks should be investigated and kept as fake untill proven real.
10. FIA should be stopped from threatening civilians from freedom of speech arrests.
11. NAB should not have any power to arrest individuals without warrants.
12. Retired generals should not be allowed to hold positions of every department they wishes for.

Leaving aside the hyperboles and extreme reactions, the only way to control the army is for our politicians to sit down and not play with the devil themselves.

The day the politicians do not go to the army for cheap deals or concessions, or help to get into power (and as a consequence be beholden to them), the influence of the army will decrease.

Secondly, the day they stop doing corruption and giving the army something to hold them by the balls, they will no longer need to be compliant.

Once these two things happen, the influence of the army will decrease.

Army will try and stamp it's authority, but the civilian leader will have enough moral ground to stand firm.

Note, where I say army, I mean the establishment. I like to keep the two things different.
Democracy is long process, it takes years in building culture surrounding it and it takes decades building the nation.

Our military itself has build the culture of overthrowing civilian government so they could get someone favourable to them. And now they are facing all the heat for it.

Why does army itself has even the power to abrogate the constitution when its job is to protect borders?
 
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File a petition in western states requesting details of their properties. Then find them and burn them down.
No not only that - I heard from friend in Netherlands he has friends watching these generals properties in next village keeping an eye on their activities - bcoz in WEST every one is EQUAL - not in Pak land.
 
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A few Suggestions:

Removing ISI From under the Influence of the Army Chief alone will have drastic effects. The ways we could do this are:
  • Blanket Bain on Military Officials from having and High level posts with ISI. Basically give the Control to Civilians.
  • Only Appoint DGs from Airforce and Navy
  • Appoint from the Army but with the condition that the chosen General must retire before taking charge thus removing any power the COAS Holds over a serving commissioned officer as DG ISI.

In this way ISI will be its own Independent Institution competing with army for influence rather than collaborating with it. Similar to How Pentagon and Langley Operate.


Restructuring of the Role and Powers granted to COAS and CJCS with transfer of power from COAS, To CJCS and CJCS Should rotate between all branches of military.


Complete Abolition of the following laws that they have misused.
  • Army Act
  • Official Secret Act
  • MPO
  • Section 144

I have been recommending civilian control of PA and ISI for years. I am so happy to see that the idea is now becoming popular among Pakistanis.

Imran Khan should grab ISI by the throat, conduct a full audit and force them to report directly to his office. This agency is running amuck due to lack of accountability.

That is what a sane, common Pakistani would think. ISI is neither sane nor common. It is run by war mongerers who live cosy lives and therefore do not suffer the consequences of the economic and security hurdles their bloodlust bring to Pakistan.
ISI needs to be re-assigned and made 100% answerable to elected representitives.


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If 1971 hurts you you should take lessons from it and take control of your generals and ISI. If your generals had any accountability Pakistan would not have broken and Afghanistan would not be such a mess.
 
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There is no short term solution. Its slow erosion and I am happy that its going on. We need PA to first acknowledge that all those generals who broke constitution and imposed martial law and LFOs are culprits.
 
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