Technically they began digging this grave thanks to Ayub. The man was sidelined by the Quaid for a reason - and ended up destroying the unity of the country just to stay in power.
Even dear Zulfi Bhutto who was rising up the tanks of bureaucracy thanks to Ghulam Mohammad and others would not have gotten this far if not for Ayub Khan.
Yet I recall many talking about how tall and handsome Ayub vs Shastri .. who the heck cares? But that is what Pakistanis valued rather than true leadership and management capabilities.
The problem with many humans in general is the inability to differentiate leadership vs roles and then how to enact reforms. This isn’t too different from the post Vietnam war America where some soldiers reported being spit on when they came home. Most of them were in a military environment which asks you to accomplish your orders regardless - now if their generals wanted that war to continue both to save face but also because they were stuck with political meddling that did not allow meeting military goals set.. that wasn’t the fault of Sgt John Hamish of the 10th Air Cav riding into an ambush… but he got spit on regardless.
Oddly enough, take the example of general Milley.. he is currently having a PR crisis which the white house has to clean up because he suggested that it would be good to negotiate with Russia and end the conflict on some terms.
Does that mean he is a leader? After all, technically tax payers invested millions to “create” that person as he is today with his training and exposure.. but because of this faux pax he is being lambasted by the Ukrainians, Local politicians and public without really evaluating what he might be suggesting in pragmatism.
I am not saying that it applies to the current COAS or top brass in Pakistan who may very well be guilty or otherwise and be corrupt or otherwise. But because there isn’t any due process to it - no trusted third party institution in Pakistan (because the judiciary too is corrupt and the military system cannot be trusted due to the environment ) that can be provided all the necessary facts and so on and can judge whether the COAS(and others) is to be punished or not… it’s basically public sentiment that will judge him.
As an example - there is a celebrated PAF officer who is always on news channels but there are rumors on him having procured some properties unfairly yet because it isn’t a pressing issue or national spotlight we dont care.
At the end, there is no one clean in Pakistan but all Pakistanis want is a messiah instead of self reform thrown hard work.
You want generals to remain in the line - don’t put them on a pedestal everytime you elect a corrupt person or simply don’t try to change the system.
You remember the posts by RWing and Xestan since the time Bajwa got selected as COAS. What did Bajwa do back then ? Maybe he wasnt a carbon copy of RS that most wanted him to be. Military officers are trained as leaders, but they have different leadership styles.
This thread is about future of Bajwa, is this a concern for some ? The guy has garnered so much hatred that people on PDF are actually interested what future holds for him. The future at this point will be the new COAS, not an outgoing COAS as he is the past.
One could coin the term as Bajwa-phobia. Military liked him, not a major coup that could have put him at risk. Bajwa expanded Military and acquired modern equipment in his tenure. All these members howling on about how IK has brough Army in limelight about the plots or privileges that Military gets, well, how many privileges have been cut short ? How many allotted plots have been struck down ? How many Askaris and DHAs have been cancelled ?
None as result of all the rhetoric, when all the enlightened ones of Pakistan gathered and shouted that IK has opened up our eyes about Military.
IK directed people against Military, because he fell down after Military stopped shouldering him. Amazingly, no other entity sided IK, like judiciary or lawyers, as last time these were the major parties that brought down Musharraf. Not even a majority of any section of people from Civil Government sided with him, or a certain section of people, not even police or paramilitary, the media divided on this also. Unfortunately IK wasn't the emperor, the king he thought he was as everyone (Govt, semi-Govt, civilians) who worked under him didn't flinch when he left his seat. One can say they were protecting their own interests, why would they take a fall when PM takes a fall. They are patriotic Pakistanis who are poised to fulfill their duties under any leadership- right. The corrupt Pakistani public didn't stand with its leader unlike the patriotic public of Turkey stood with Erdogan. Pakistani public allowed Shahbaz to take office and here we are today. You can prefix corrupt before public and Shahbaz both, - they deserve each other. Most of the members here didnt like my comments about how I termed Pakistani public as corrupt. Denying truth doesnt deny its existence.
Military is playing a role in defense of country and Military will keep giving to officers and soldiers what it has promised to them.
I would say Military has kept its word since April 2022, so did Bajwa unless we witness a last second martial law when the new COAS is about to take command. This is actually what many have wished, may have theoretically sentenced in their reports and many have predicted in media too. Just that Bajwa has been alleged of doing everything behind closed doors and its hard to find proof for all that by public. A martial law will be a clear cut indication - yes we have been right all along, Bajwa has committed all those million crimes which he has been accused of by PTI and media. Wouldn't that be an enthralling victory for everyone who has been saying Bajwa did this and that. All those curses against him will become halal then.
We don't know yet what the next COAS brings, once Bajwa retires.
Bajwa may get spit on, hated, and even cursed publicly - he has spent his tenure as COAS and done the job. He will get his entitlements from Army and will live his life with privileges granted to a retired COAS.