Respect of any state institution is reflected by the acts and the integrity of the people running it.
ISLAMABAD: Respect of any state institution, civilian or military, is reflected by the acts and the integrity of the people running it. Harmony between pillars of the state is the key to the development and effective governance of a country. There was a time during the early years of our independence when civilians used to salute army officers in markets or other public places. However, with the passage of time this respect has been hurt because of selfish dictators who have brought a bad name to their institution and created a distance between civilians and the military.
A major point of contention between the institutions has been the row over the implementation of Article 6 (it has never been invoked) which says that dictators who abrogate the Constitution should be convicted. There is a need to pragmatically do away with this clause as it unnecessarily creates friction between the two pillars of state. Our military already has its very own effective solid mechanisms whereas officers can be court-martialled for acting against the rules and the oath taken by them at the time of joining the forces. Instead of relying on Article 6, we should instead use the internal mechanism of the armed forces to hold accountable any military officer who subverts or abrogates the Constitution.
Dr Irfan Zafar
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2010.
