Hands-off from politics

The stated policy to stay aloof from politics, and let stakeholders have a level-playing field is most welcome. The country’s premier intelligence agency, in a rare public statement, made it clear on Monday that it has issued directives in categorical terms that none from its rank and file shall interfere in political affairs. These orders perhaps have come from Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, in an earnest attempt to dissuade the perception that the armed forces are meddling in political affairs, as is being canvassed by a section of political circles. The spymaster’s office by publicly making it clear that zero-tolerance will be exhibited on any complaint has put to rest reservations simmering among the masses at large.

This hands-off approach has come at an opportune moment. Punjab is set to hold bye-elections in 20 constituencies, and the ante is up as the PTI and PML-N are in a decisive phase of their political strengths in Punjab Assembly. Thus, it was essential that politics was left to the politicians and the electorates, as the state machinery took a back seat. The army’s strong words have come close on the heels of a Supreme Court order, wherein it directed the Punjab bureaucracy to act impartially till July 17, the day the by-elections are scheduled to be held, and even stripped interim Chief Minister Hamza Sharif of his powers to influence the electoral outcome – though he has still done so by announcing free electricity supply to those across Punjab consuming up to 100 megawatts of power.

These two developments must be read in line with the politics of apathy that is in vogue. We are accustomed to smear campaigns for furthering political clout, and do hardly care for national interests. Dragging the army, intelligence agencies, police and bureaucracy in politics is part and parcel of our electoral nomenclature, and we do that with impunity. Hardly ever has an election taken place in the country without the politicians themselves dragging these state institutions into election affairs. This is owing to a pathetic political culture that thrives on official meddling, and has resulted in weakening of national institutions. Perhaps, this is why no elections are possible without the insulation of law-enforcement agencies, and the tip of the iceberg is that political parties call for deployment of the army even inside the polling stations. And when results at polls are contrary to expectations, an unending blame-game is the order of the day.

Monday’s pronouncement is, indeed, an appreciated narrative wherein the security establishment wants the nation to be rest assured that it is not engineering any political line of action. The ousted PTI’s reservations that the system is working against it desired an attentive ear, and it is a good omen that the army has made its point of view loud and clear. Let a semblance of trust be set in good faith.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2022.

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