Of khaki and mufti

ISLAMABAD: This is with reference to Wajahat S Khan’s article “A leadership index” (August 12). While I agree with much of what the writer said, I would hesitate to glorify any army general, since that would be tantamount to encouraging them. Also, we already have been brain-washed to praise the generals and ridicule the elected representatives of the people.

A case in point is the recent floods. We keep praising the army for its efforts for flood relief, but criticise the government. But isn’t the army an institution of the federal government and is bound to follow and work under its directives (I admit this is a tricky question)? An institution that is given the largest chunk of the national budget should naturally be better equipped and have more capacity and resources than other civilian institutions to meet any crises.

I am not defending the civil institutions; they need to step up to the task of flood relief but in this message, my point is altogether different.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2010.