The problem is that most of our members of parliament do not want to do any of this work.
KARACHI: This is with reference to Kamran Shafi’s article, “Needed: a ‘bloody civilian’ at the ISI”, published in your newspaper on December 30. Will our parliamentarians debate the intelligence and defence strategy, and the structures appropriate for that purpose and formulate a long-term strategy on this?
If they do this, they can recommend that there be a civilian head of the ISI who reports through the Cabinet Division to the prime minister and president of the country. Also, the joint chiefs of staff should prepare all plans and proposals that are to be present and approved by the Defence Committee of the Cabinet. This is how democracies work or should work.
The problem is that most of our members of parliament do not want to do any of this work. And in that regard, Mr Shafi’s column is suggesting more of a short cut to parliament in that it assumes that merely appointing a civilian head of the ISI will solve everything.
However, if these strategies, structures and plans are made elsewhere, why and how would their control be implemented here at home? The writer should drum some sense into our so-called leaders. Do the speeches made by our prime minister bring respect to his office?
Mahmood Saeed
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2012.
