The threat of 5GW

That Pakistan is subjected to the 5^th generation warfare is no revelation. But the cause for greater concern is that this war has picked up pace of late, resulting in multiple crises of political, diplomatic or judicial nature.

Any sovereign state has four main pillars on which it rests — executive (civilian and military), legislature, judiciary and media. The chaos currently prevailing in Pakistan suggests that all four pillars of the state are suffering from the onslaught of the hybrid war. They are being openly questioned by the public for their credibility and loyalty. In this era of social media, every grown-up person with access to mobile phone is subjected to disinformation — something which needs to be countered by responsible quarters.

Let’s look at the first pillar i.e. the executive. The civilian side is by and large compromised as political parties make long-term investment by offering them lucrative posts expecting loyalty in return. Corruption runs rampant, why is the chief reason why people don’t trust the civilian executives any more.

Alarmingly, a section of the public has opened up against the military side too. The armed forces — tackling the external and internal challenges, and quite successfully at that — are subjected to illogical criticism for their apolitical role in prevailing political crisis through media platforms. Credibility and loyalty of top officers are being questioned. Social media, sourced from abroad, is an active part of this smear campaign. Some elements have even gone to the extent of projecting a nasty narrative of some kind of a division between the officers and troops as well between the serving and retired cadres. Doubts are being cast about the safety of our nuclear assets which are already seen with aversion.

It is the least desired proposition for a stable Pakistan, and is damaging for the morale and repute of the armed forces. The tendency to exploit emotions by evoking religious fervour and nationalist zeal just for the sake of building political narratives needs to be checked. History also tells us that while our armed forces had won the 1965 war, they lost the one in 1971 to the same Indian forces just because their own people had turned against them, having fallen prey to the Indian propaganda based on popular political rhetoric.

The second pillar i.e. legislature has also lost its trust among the masses. Our elected representatives are being projected as the most corrupt elite in the country. People believe that politicians have sold themselves to foreign powers and are no more dependable. It is a known fact that throughout its history as superpower, the US has supported puppet regimes in the developing world in particular, including Pakistan, in order to maintain its global hegemony. American ambassadors posted in the world capitals keep looking for political groups that are ready to adjust to the US interests for mere political gains. Political parties in Pakistan are also historically known to bow to US interest. But while Imran Khan has declined to toe the US line, he seeks to drawn political mileage from it. Publicly aligning a superpower in an interdependent world with crisscrossed interests carries a cost and thus needs to be addressed seriously in a diplomatic manner. There is no way we should compromise on our sovereignty, and quid-pro-quo should be the go-to approach.

The third pillar of the state i.e. judiciary is not spared either, being blamed “for judgements favouring interests of elites”. Social media is replete with posts meant to damage the sanctity of the courts and tarnish the repute of the honourable judges. When judiciary loses its trust among the masses, people start taking law in their own hands. This unrestricted individualism is the law of the beast of the jungle, according to Mr Gandhi. It goes without saying that Pakistan cannot afford such damage to the fair name of judiciary.

Media is the fourth state pillar. Pakistani media is divided in two visible camps. Instead of reporting objectively, most media houses have started building opinion that suits their respective interests. A common perception is that political parties have their respective paid media houses which project their interests, whether right or wrong, and malign their opponents. In the process, unfortunately, it is the country that is bound to suffer.

There is an ongoing popular sentiment in favour of Imran Khan, but we need to understand that it is not the matter of a political leader or his opponents for that matter. It is the matter of Pakistan. Pakistaniat should reign supreme at all costs. We have to be aware of the prevailing challenges and how to deal with them effectively. Only then can we stand tall against all odds.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2022.

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