Pakistan

Military still plays bloated role in Pakistan's politics: Hina Rabbani Khar

Former foreign minister claims prime minister has “much less freedom than he ought to have”

Web Desk December 18, 2015

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar. PHOTO COURTESY: AL JAZEERA NETWORK

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said the military still plays a bloated role in Pakistan's politics, claiming the prime minister has “much less freedom than he ought to have.”

Despite the first-ever successful transition of power from one civilian government to another after 2013 general elections, the ex-foreign minister believed the powerful military establishment dominates the office of the prime minister. The first female foreign minister of Pakistan made the remarks on Al Jazeera English's 'Head to Head' segment.

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Khar also said Pakistan was 'guilty of being incompetent’ when it came to the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, while denying any role of the PPP-led government in protecting the global terror kingpin.

Dismissing recent claims by former Defence Minister, Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, that the government knew where Bin Laden was, Khar said Mukhtar “doesn’t know the first thing that he’s talking about”, while suggesting the former defence minister did not have any knowledge on the defence or the foreign policy matters of the country.

On the issue of US drone strikes in Pakistan, Khar remained adamant that the Zardari regime did not give backing to the drone strikes. “Drone strikes are counterproductive, what does counterproductive mean, it means that they are actually fuelling extremism, and assisting people to attract more people towards extremism. […] they were against Pakistan’s territorial integrity.”

When challenged on a US State Department cable revealing that former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had given private support for the drone strikes, Rabbani Khar argues that he never said this “when I was in the room” and that she was “pretty much in every important meeting.”

“It is not possible for me to believe that things change so much because of my presence in the room or not (…) some of these things could have been misrepresented or misreported,” Khar added.

In response to a question regarding Pakistan’s alleged support of military groups, the ex-minister said while there were “waves of truth” to the claims but they were “relics of the past” and were “super-imposing on what the present was.”

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She went on to argue: “Pakistan did not have the ability, to be able to take on every terror network within the region all at the same time. As far as sponsoring and funding them was concerned, clearly I would like to believe that under our watch, that was not the policy direction at all.”

Regarding Kashmir, she said she “would be very happy if the Kashmiri people get the choice to choose between Pakistan, India or even an independent state” — a third option, which is not included in the United Nations Security Council Resolution on the dispute.

COMMENTS (32)

sacred responsibility | 8 years ago | Reply If the military would not step in to compensate for the lack of competencies and the lack of adequacies of civilian dispensations, past and present, Pakistan would be in more trouble than it presently finds itself.

Actually | 8 years ago | Reply @Taimur: You make LUMS sound like as if it were Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Berkeley, Oxford, or Cambridge. At the international level, I doubt it if it ranks among the top 500 universities. As an alumnus of LUMS, you have a right to be proud of it, however, although it is likely to be one of the best educational institution, I doubt if it is “the most meritorious university” of the country, as others are in contention, including NUST. And, how can you be sure that all commentators who read ‘’Tribune Blogs’’ are not also as much educated as Ms. Khar, and possibly more, at least, in some instances?

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Diplomacy | 8 years ago | Reply @Harris: "Her knowledge on the intricacies of international relations are superficial at best." You are spot on. "Her interviews are considered impressive because she can converse in English." Absolutely. She is more fluent than profound.

Why | 8 years ago | Reply @Taimur: If LUM is all that great an institution of learning with "...anyone who has spent 4 years at LUMS, is much more politically astute..." then why was Hina Rabbani Khar's performance as a minister just mediocre?

Not really | 8 years ago | Reply @Taimur: Your entire eulogy of Hina Rabbani Khar is based on the one interview and her educational background. Okay, let us agree to that. But can you cite even one notable, outstanding achievement of her as a foreign minister of Pakistan? Besides, why did she need to benefit from the NRO? Big question.

MSH | 8 years ago | Reply A Country where you have incompetent,impotent,Corrupt and Criminals like Zardari ,military has to play its role.

VINOD | 8 years ago | Reply The blind and unconditional support of people of Pakistan to their Army surprises me no end. may be it is because they have no politician who has come from the poor and the common people of Pakistan.

Omar Sadiq | 8 years ago | Reply Khar said Mukhtar “doesn’t know the first thing that he’s talking about”, while suggesting the former defense minister did not have any knowledge on the defense or the foreign policy matters of the country.........so, why was he the country's Defense Minister in your/ppp government than????

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply The majority of people in Pakstan territory are more or less indoctrinated by their army who have ruled over them most after the departure of the colonialists and since most avenues of the civilian Government are occupied by the retirees. The security concerns have not only determined Pakistan regressive domestic and foreign policies, it has also served to be a great hinderence towards the enlightenment and democratisation of its people. Its former foreign minister performance in public arena provides the first glimpse of the tragedy.. Rex Minor .

Taimur | 8 years ago | Reply Mr Honest, as easy as it is to trash any politician in Pakistan including Hina Rabbani Khar, I would suggest that you watch this interview before giving harsh comments. Its called Head to Head on Al Jazeera, available on youtube. The way in which she conducted herself and stood her ground, and made Pakistan sound like a country that knows what its doing, and is not completely out of control is REMARKABLE. Especially in the face of immense criticism that she was receiving from British journalists and academics on that show. I REALLY doubt many people in our government, or any civilian, can show the same fortitude. I was extremely proud of her after watching that interview. We as a nation need to learn to give credit where its due. This woman has done nothing to deserve out condescension. Shes only improved our international image. PS: She did not JUST study hotel management. She also did her Bachelors in Economics from LUMS, which is without doubt the most meritorious university in this country (and does not accept people on sifarish). As an alum of LUMS, I can tell you that anyone who is an Econ major from LUMS is not an idiot, infact is a very smart individual, even within LUMS. Secondly, LUMS has a very strong Political Science culture and anyone who has spent 4 years at LUMS, is much more politically astute than people who just read Tribune Blogs as their source of political knowledge. Also, she did her Masters from UMass Amherst, which is a pretty great university itself, look it up online. Education doesnt only mean that you study a rote-learned syllabus of foreign relations, it means being able to comprehend and think about issues critically, which I'm sure shes more than able to do given her excellent education.

PrakashG | 8 years ago | Reply If a country, ranked 25th in the world on economic scale, keeps an army that is 5th largest in the world ... well, you can imagine which one is the dog and which one the tail.

sacred responsibility | 8 years ago | Reply Brought in by a despot to serve in a military dictator’s government, Hina Rabbani Khar’s statement regarding military’s “bloated role” in Pakistan’s politics sounds hypocritical.

read | 8 years ago | Reply @Salman - SK: read Wikipedia article on her.

Sarwar | 8 years ago | Reply Charming looks and bonhomie are no substitute for Realpolitik.

Sarwar | 8 years ago | Reply "Bloated stomach" is more of a used phrase. This is the first time, one hears "bloated role."

Sarwar | 8 years ago | Reply @Mr. Honest: "... bad governance and mega corruption scandals…" Is it true: 1) That Hina Rabbani Khar is among the beneficiary of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which provided amnesty to those accused of financial and other crimes? 2) That Khar’s husband and her father-in-law are defaulters of electric bills owed by their company, Galaxy Textile Mills, of about seventy million rupees, which they have settled to pay in installments of Rs. 3000 per month?

brar | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you Pakistan Army,keep it up.

Khalid Rana | 8 years ago | Reply I failed to understand as to why our political representatives try to make scores at the cost of national integrity. Ex president of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf is defending Pakistan as intelegence failure. Why are some supporting against Pakistan ? Are they paid for -----? Be Pakistani , Love Pakistan. December 1971 and December 2014 are for lessons. Think deeply as state not as human rights. Think for human rights for Middle East. Iraq, Syria, Yamen etc.

Salman - SK | 8 years ago | Reply Regardless of her educational background in Hotel Management or Polo Lounge, as some have commented, I thought Ms. Khar's performance as the foreign minister of Pakistan was impressive and respected by seasoned observers. She served with dignity and integrity, and spoke quite well and intelligently. People are associating by guilt PPP's record in general with everyone who served under their tenure; and to a great extent that is understandable. I believe Ms. Khar's performance was impressive regardless of that. There were no scandals associated with her and the talk of corruption is just plain nonsense. Just as important as condemning the corrupt is to acknowledge those who serve us with integrity and honesty.

sacred responsibility | 8 years ago | Reply "When challenged on a US State Department cable revealing that former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had given private support for the drone strikes, Rabbani Khar argues that he never said this “when I was in the room” and that she was “pretty much in every important meeting.” Gilani must have made sure that HRK was not privy to the secret support that he is likely to have given for drone strikes. It is obvious, he would let HRK in most meetings that could have make her think that she was part of every single meeting. She is talking about Pakistan's "bloated" military role in Pakistan's politics as if that was not the case during the time of the government she served. Even so, PPP's ambassador to the United States, who should have been restrained by HRK, was responsible for issuing visas en masse without due security clearance.

optimist | 8 years ago | Reply It's ironic that she was the one who was groomed into politics under Musharraf government (Military govt) and then Zardari had to make her foreign minister because the 'establishment' didn't want any PPP veteran in foreign office position.

Rao | 8 years ago | Reply @Last Word: Remember that Pakistan is 5th largest democracy in the world with a formidable fighting forces with powerful nuclear arsenal and perhaps upcoming Asian tiger with generous Chinese help and aid. Becoming a foreign minister at such a young age is not a joke. She had the wits, intelligence and of course good looks and charms that went with it. So why pull her down? If need arises, I am sure she will be prepared to serve her nation with dedication, patriotism and her intelligence. She deserves a hearty round of applause.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply That is because the politicians have FAILED to play their rightful role in the country.

Harris | 8 years ago | Reply The fact that she was in the Zardari cabinet, makes her ineligible for any worthwhile commentary on foreign affairs. Her degree in hotel management doesn't help either. Her interviews are considered impressive because she can converse in English. Her knowledge on the intricacies of international relations are superficial at best.

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Well if its not Pakistan military its the US State Department dictating Pakistan politics. I would pick Pakistan Military over the other without a question. These corrupt politicians play nicely in the hands of the foreign policy makers, keeping each other happy in the process.

Fuad | 8 years ago | Reply Its obvious that the critical comments on Ms. Khar's statement are from biased 'sources'.

Rao | 8 years ago | Reply Where is former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar's .$ 1000 dollarGucchi hand bag and $1000 eye glasses she used to wear when she was the foreign minister? I miss them! Really!

Striver | 8 years ago | Reply Its an unfortunate fact of political life in Pakistan that they (the politicians) must defend their party's and their leader's amoral and destructively corrupt policies. One lie leads to another. Either our "politicians" have erased their conscience or they didn't have one to begin with. Politics in Pakistan is synonymous with lies, deceit and day-light robbery of county's money-box. Why blame the army,for your own shortcomings. If you politicians had the welfare and the well-being of the public at heart, you would not be cursed by millions on a daily basis and 24/7. A famous human rights champion once said on TV to the generals:"leave us alone you parasites". These parasites have been called upon once again to lay their life to save the country and clean up the mess created by you politicians. Who is the real parasite. You must ask you own consciences.

Last Word | 8 years ago | Reply Well, she did quite well during her stint as Foreign minister. Her interviews in India were crisp and impressive. However, one is not impressed with her views expressed in this article. She has spoken only half truth but the same quite understandable as speaking the truth is inviting trouble or losing life in Pakistan.

Tommy Gunn | 8 years ago | Reply I didn't think much of Hina Khar when she was the foreign minister of Pakistan but since then, after watching her on tv shows & hearing her opinions, she has gained my respect.

Ali S | 8 years ago | Reply She seems quite capable of carrying on an interview with a respected international agency (more than can be said of a lot of our parliamentarians), but the truth remains that her party drove Pakistan to the abyss from 2007 to 2013, and Sindh and Karachi still remain victims of its criminal negligence and breathtaking incompetence. It's hard to fathom why anyone would willingly be a part of PPP's leadership unless they wanted a slice of the plunder from its massive corruption.

Mr. Honest | 8 years ago | Reply With a degree in 'Hotel Management' and running Polo Lounge restaurant, she was made the FOREIGN MINISTER of Pakistan by Zardari... Diplomacy is just as technical as mathematics... And now she speaks as a professional diplomat and foreign affairs guru... The performance of PPP government was dismal, bad governance and mega corruption scandals... pathetic in all fronts including Foreign diplomatic affairs.

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