Pakistan

Improve civil-military ties, PML-N top brass tells PM

PM Nawaz’s senior aides advise him not to follow Turkish President Erdogan’s approach in dealing with the military

Abdul Manan May 06, 2016

In this file photo, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif meets COAS General Raheel Sharif at the PM House in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leadership has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to improve his government’s relations with the military establishment, The Express Tribune learnt.

The top brass of the party also gave pieces of advice to the premier as to not follow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s approach in dealing with the military in his country.

According to sources, of late the party’s senior leadership including Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan particularly discussed with PM Nawaz about civil-military relations in details and proposed various solutions.

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According to the details shared by the sources in the ruling party, the prime minister’s top aides told him that if he indulges himself in issues related with the military then there would be lot of problems with the current government.

The sources said the PML-N leadership also advised PM Nawaz as to not follow Erdogan’s approach while dealing the military affairs. According to them, the premier listened to them patiently and defended the Turkey government’s approach with details while giving citations.

Currently there is a stalemate, the sources said, between the civil and military leadership over many issues including requisition of Rangers in Punjab under Article 147 of the Constitution, policies towards India as the prime minister is interested to let Indian investigation team, National Investigation Agency (NIA), to visit Pakistan to record statements of suspects detained regarding the Pathankot Airbase attack while the military establishment is unwilling to allow them.

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The sources added that the party’s top brass urged PM Nawaz not to involve in any issues with Pakistan’s relations with India.

Although the premier has approved the military’s demand of over Rs100 billion for the next fiscal budget, it is still remain insufficient particularly for the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, they said.

COMMENTS (18)

H Chaudhry | 8 years ago | Reply @Syed&Syed Why No Nawaz ? People voted Nawaz and no one can make him go out other than people and for that wait till 2018. In any case, Nawaz should get a Vote of confidence that should Shut up folks. Time has gone for Civilians to take orders from General. If Generals wants to do good, he can start with his own institution and take care of borders.

syed & syed | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad:There is a way out. Parliament without Nawaz Shareef to stay. Scrutiny be made of each and every parliamentarian. Those found guilty of crime be shunted out for ever.The same formula be applied in Punjab. The General give order without taking over the government and things will settle down.

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Ch Naveed | 8 years ago | Reply Ch Allah Daad Bhai ... Actually anti Nawaz people have now given up .. They can not compete Nawaz in electoral ground so that's why they want a Miltray Quo .. In other words Nawaz has become undefeatable Alhumdulilah ... Anyway Nawaz has done following things right after 2013 elections .. 1 . load was about 16-18 hours in 2013 now it's 6-8 hours . 2. All foreign economic institutions like Bloomberg , Moody's etc r parsing govt's economic performance ( mind it in PPP tenure all these institutions were not giving positive reviews for govt nd all guys were then quoting it ) 3 . Performance of railway has improved considerably ,4. law nd order position is lot better then 2013 . 5 transpirancy international admitting that there is less corruption in Pakistan in last 3 years as compare to last 10 years .. 6 . no major corruptin scandal in current govt tenure , 7. Foreign reserves r at all time high ..

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply "Army Chief General Raheel Sharif must take action against PM and his cabinet" @Zahid: You mean General should violate constitution and land in jail. No friend of General would give him this advice.

Zahid | 8 years ago | Reply The third time PML N Government and Nawaz Sharif failed in all parts of Pakistan section Nawaz Sharif will never understand now in fighting mode with established and opposition Nawaz Sharif is corrupt politicians and fully involved in Panama leaks and his darbaree are too specifically Ishaq Dar Army Chief General Raheel Sharif must take action against PM and his cabinet

syed & syed | 8 years ago | Reply Promises Nawaz and his brother had made to win the elections were not implemented even 10%. Their entire efforts were for construction of roads , under passes because of kick backs as people say. Two brothers did nothing to eliminate load shedding. What about Nandipur. They have Gullu Buts to dishonor poor people whereas influential are not touched and if ever a case is registered they are granted bails. Twos are ruling like Ibrahim Lodhi and an inch lesser then Changiz Khan to crush the rising voice.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Put a dogs tail in a pipe for a full year but when you take it it out, it will still be bent.

Saf | 8 years ago | Reply /@bakr: World bank might be happy with Nawaz but go into history and look at the awards won by Shaukat Aziz. Use a website like tradingeconomics.com and analyse the data for yourself it's a non political site. Pakistan should be like Malaysia now so don't be happy with a few roads. Study the cost of corruption and have zero tolerance for corruption.

H Chaudhry | 8 years ago | Reply @Saf and @Gaz dont worry about our problems. If you have an issue with Noon League govt, wait till 2018 and try to vote it out. There is no other way. Every one has an opinion and we all know what opinion entails too. Whether lucky or not, whatever, Pakistan is progressing, he Won elections and he has a RIGHT to rule through 2018. No if then but about it period.

bakr | 8 years ago | Reply @Saf world bank, IMF, Forbes all credible institutes are praising NS government for their social and economic reforms. Give credit where it is due. Musharaf remained in the office for continuously 10 years with full authority but what we achieved was negligible.

Gaz | 8 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: This is the problem noon supporters see a road and think that's a measure of progress. NS has been lucky with record low oil prices yet still all he is managing on growth is 4%.

Usman from Toronto | 8 years ago | Reply Nawaz has all the bad traits of Erdogan (autocratic,intolerant) while having none of Erdogan's good traits (doubled the economy, improved law and order, improved education, improved healthcare, increased foreign investment, lowered debt).

Usman from Toronto | 8 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: Public debt under Nawaz Sharif has increased, Foreign Direct Investment under Nawaz Sharif is laughable compared to Bangladesh and India, Direct and Indirect taxes have increased, GDP growth per capita is about 1%, on top of that police, education and healthcare re in shambles, spending on infrastructure which creates wealth (Canals,Railways,Dams,Barrages) for the 65% of Pakistanis who live in rural areas is a pittance. No steps have been taken to improve the judiciary,NAB or bureacracy. OH but nice metros in Lahore and Rawalpindi, that is the only accomplishment of the PMLN

nadeem | 8 years ago | Reply True the military needs to be reined in, as Pakistan has suffered much as a result of its security policy and foreign policy - both monopolized by the Army for the last 3 decades at least. But Nawaz Sharif is not the man to do it. Had he brought in the overdue reforms in legislation, bureaucracy, education, health care, socio-economic reforms, judicial reforms, police reforms - all the things that are today blocking the prosperity and progress of the majority of Pakistanis - people would support him if he then tried to wrestle back security and foreign policies from the military. But the word reform does not even exist in his dictionary. If the army sends him to Attock fort tonight, please tell me why should the middle class and lower class in Pakistan cry for him?

Saf | 8 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: What your definition of progress, I guess you believe what you are fed I have studied the Pakistan economy's progress and I suggest you do the same. Country was on verge of bankruptcy in 1999 and now you are celebrating FDI at a fraction of what Mush achieved and growth rate at almost half of Mushs 8% per annum. Yes he is doing better than PPP but they had to contend with a world wide recession in their first few years and record oil prices in their last few years.

H Chaudhry | 8 years ago | Reply @Saf Failed because you say so ? In his three broken stunts, Country always progressed. Pakistan is much better today than 3 years ago. So go cry me a river somewhere else.

Saf | 8 years ago | Reply Erdogan changed Turkey with massive economic reform that's what allowed him to challenge the Military. You are a three times failed incompetent PM who is hated by all apart from the corrupt and iliterate.

Kaju | 8 years ago | Reply Noora League-military relations are at their best at present after release of Musharraf as a bargain for Panama Scandal.

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