Welcome step

At a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) on August 22, a number of key decisions were made. These reflected to a considerable extent Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif’s attempts to bridge gaps with the military and make it quite clear that he had every intention of cooperating with the body, thus bringing to a close the chapter that unfolded in 1999, when his government was dismissed in a military coup.

The signal for a reconciliation was given by the prime minister when he agreed — in a welcome step — to constitute the National Security Council, a body intended to secure better cooperation between civilian and military institution. The body, which will include the ministers for interior, defence, foreign affairs and finance along with the three services chiefs and the head of the joint chief of staff committee, will now play a role on the national scene. We will need to see what this role will be and how the often sensitive matter of cooperation between the elected government and the military will pan out in the months ahead.

Certainly, there is a lot they need to work together for. Key among these is the battle against militancy. In a somewhat expected decision, the DCC decided that there would be no attempt to talk with home-grown militants, at least, until they laid down arms, and instead, force would be used against them. This marks a change from the ruling party’s traditional line on the issue. But, it is, perhaps, one that was inevitable. The militants have massacred thousands over the years and continue their campaign of terror with a bomb blast ripping through the Korangi area of Karachi on August 22, targeting Rangers and a military truck in the area. This then just goes to demonstrate the kind of threat we face. Whereas the DCC also discussed other issues, the main threat lies within, and it is this we will need to confront with all the might we can muster.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.

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