More on Imran Khan and Bajwa — coins and sides

Last week in this space a catharsis of Imran Khan was proffered. However, this debate would not be complete without mentioning the newly revealed facts about Gen Bajwa, who goes down in history as the most reviled COAS…partly due to his own foibles, and interaction with PTI government as ‘Super King’, and partly because of the excessive vilification by a prime minister and his cabal who rode to power on the back of Military, and then turned their back on the Military. The mantra of being on the one page worked till things were going in favour of the PTI.

However, that does not absolve the ex-COAS of responsibility and culpability in ‘orchestrating’ (so it appeared) the removal of the PTI government which was on life support anyways. The unthinkable consequence of the curse of Ramadan 2022 was the steep downward slide in the Military’s approval ratings in Pakistan, at least in the urban centres and among the youth bulge. And in the ensuing months, for the first time perhaps in our history, the Military was perceived to act against the popular will…something unthinkable in the Military-dominated political history of Pakistan. The Military still hasn’t recovered from this perceptual erosion of its reputation, pride and respect. And would need a ‘strategic reset’ rather than ‘damage control’ and ‘baby steps’ to regain this lost standing, if urban sentiment is any guide. And that ignonimity lies squarely with Gen Bajwa.

He is also culpable at slighting a sitting prime minister by blatantly taking a different stance on Russia, the war in Ukraine and vis-à-vis India during Islamabad Security Dialogue in 2022, which was not his purview, not his job and a blatant overstepping of his mandate as Army Chief. But then that is what happens to a COAS, who, intoxicated by his second term, thinks himself all-wise and all-knowing. Yes, there are precedents — like in other countries — where Military leaders advised and persuaded Pakistan’s civilian leaders for better policy formulation and implementation in our ‘guided democracy’, but that was done with nuances and under finesse…never ever getting out of the civilian leadership’s comfort zones. Gen Bajwa’s imperial diktat appeared too brazen and too overbearing. And his loudmouth continues to inflict pain and scorn on our Military.

Then there are questions about the synergy of response in the aftermath of Indian crow-hunt at Balakot in 2019. The spine that strengthened Pakistan’s resolve and response, and where Allah helped us, was the joint effort by the then Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Chief of Air Staff… both soldiers of substance. Dithering, meekness and haze was otherwise in the air.

The General also tinkered with the system by undermining merit and deserve-ability and more seriously, threatening dissenting comrades-in-arms, especially the veterans with stoppages of pensions, and abrogation of facilities like messes and healthcare…amenities that veterans earn like he does now, and which are not concessions by anyone, but veterans’ inalienable rights. This was again unthinkable. Dissent even among the serving is not unusual and is never muzzled. The retired cadre was just being more sensitive to the popular sentiment and wanted the mother-institution under him to correct course and be on the side of the people…an entirely just and patriotic yearning. His unforgiveable sin is deeper division between and among his own constituency, the Armed Forces.

Re-entry of the TTP after the botched negotiations, comically under Kabul is another feather in Gen Bajwa’s cap. The dialogue and the hurried concessions offered to TTP were ‘ostensibly’ motivated by personal glory and the tamgha (medal) syndrome rather than national interest. There is also a sinister conspiracy theory in circulation that TTP re-entry was to imperil the then PTI government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. There are also speculations of ethnic overtones in the entire sad saga.

Financial indiscretion ‘apparently’ is another dimension of Gen Bajwa’s six-year stint where family (especially the father-in-law) and friends were awarded and rewarded, if media and investigative journalism is to be believed. Social media is abuzz with sleazy if unfortunate details.

However, to be fair, Gen Bajwa as an Army Chief had much more limited advice than Imran Khan who had plenty of saner minds around, yet he did and does what he does. Therefore, rather than filibustering in public to stay relevant and foul-mouthing Gen Bajwa for his acts of omission and commission, Imran Khan should go to court. It was in this country and not in too distant past that Gen Pervez Musharraf was convicted. New information coming in the light of IK’s letter to the President, urging an enquiry on the cited lapses of Gen Bajwa plus controlling NAB and tapping conversations and admitting to it, are serious, not ignorable offences that need to be fully investigated. And in so doing, one hopes that Imran Khan and Gen Bajwa would not come out as two sides of the same coin.

Moving on, for political leadership to break the deadlock, PTI should return to assemblies shunning the forever agitational politics. The PDM-led government should announce elections as President Alvi did, throwing the gauntlet, rather than playing silly games of faulty consequences for the country, for themselves, for PTI, and for the Military. All stakeholders must sincerely work together to stave off the impending financial catastrophe. The government should shut the door of extension to any four-star for good and make necessary legislation in this regard. Present policy governing TTP and Afghanistan should be continued and augmented.

And a trial be conducted to take the remaining clothes off the main characters who were responsible for Pakistan’s economic slide, political instability and perceptual worthlessness, besides Balakot and the meek response to the ‘stray’ Indian BrahMos missile that landed on 9 March 2022 near Khanewal. National security is sacrosanct and inability and unwillingness to respond with ‘available resources’ is open to questions and allegations. Without punishing the culprits this time around, Pakistan would continue to flounder in the abyss of power, privilege and discretion. And in so doing, Military more than ever, needs to stand with the Constitution, law and its people.

And if Imran Khan ‘is to be failed’, let him fail in governance after he wins the next election. In any case, PTI has no line of succession, no clear plan, and no charisma minus the combative Khan.

The irony staring us in the face is that there are no better options right now, till some come up …who knows!

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2023.

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