The million-dollar question is how and when will this imbalance be set right.
LAHORE: Pakistan has one of the largest armies in the world, and its military has in fact ruled the country longer than any elected civilian government. The military also considers itself the guardian and protector of the country’s Islamic ideology. It would be fair to say that generals have been unhappy with civilian leaders and this was seen as early as the time when Liaquat Ali Khan was the country’s prime minister.
The question to ask is that why does the military consider politicians unwise and unable to make decisions related to the country’s foreign and security policies. As for the general public, they have shown no love for civilian governments. Moreover, their actions over the years have indicated that they are not for military dictatorships either.
Whenever a civilian government starts to establish its primacy over the military, the latter starts its onslaught through its intelligence agencies and this is directed at the civilian government. In all civilised and democratic countries across the world, heads of intelligence agencies are appointed by the civilian government. These agencies are supposed to work within the parameters of a country’s foreign and security policies which are made by the civilian government in consultation with a subordinate military. The job of the intelligence agencies is only to provide input to the civilian government and not to make or dictate policies.
The reality here is, unfortunately, quite the opposite. The million-dollar question is how and when will this imbalance be set right.
ST Hussain
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2011.
