COAS extension (IV)

NIDDERAU, GERMANY: Your editorial of July 24 titled ‘Democracy and the generals’ is very good and well-argued. However, I do not agree with the following lines: “While they speak frequently of bolstering democracy in Pakistan and of their commitment to keeping it afloat, these players have little hesitation in doing business with military chiefs.”

The reason they [the politicians] do this is because they know the military is running the show behind the scenes and one day they might have to deal with them again. Only when civilian rule is stabilised and the army is really back in the barracks, will we see a real change in their attitudes.

I am not in favour of the three-year extension to General Kayani but it is the best possible solution under the present circumstances. What else if a new chief was appointed and he, following like some of his predecessors, sent the government packing?

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2010.