Since General Raheel Sharif’s disputed public rejoinder to the contentious statements of two federal ministers - Kh Asif and Kh Saad Rafiq — matters have turned quite bad. Certain vested interests, including the overt and covert supporters of General Musharraf, are doing their devious best to exploit the situation in their favour no matter how it hurts Pakistan and its institutions.
Background interactions reveal that in view of the recent rise in tensions, both sides do not want to aggravate the situation. However, there is no hint how the present gap between the two would be bridged.According to one source, informal contacts between the two sides have already been made but such interactions are not being made public.
According to one of the most relevant federal ministers in this dispute, things can be settled even without the involvement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. It is said that some ministers might contact the military leadership to remove the misunderstandings.
However, it is suspected that besides Musharraf’s men there are elements dubbed as “ISI within ISI”, who are crossing the limits and misusing their official positions in their support for Musharraf.
The challenge for Prime Minister Nawaz and Army Chief General Raheel is to identify such elements within the intelligence agencies to ensure that anyone representing these institutions, which are set-up as the first defence against any attack on country’s sovereignty and security, does not use the agency’s official muscles to serve and secure the vested interest of any individual.
In order to avoid misunderstandings in the future, the Prime Minister and the Army would have to resolve their complete support to rule of law, upholding of the constitution and respect for institutions.
Musharraf’s case is a test of rule of law in Pakistan and here the Army chief would have to make his ranks and file understand that the dictator’s case is before the independent judiciary and it is the court that has to decide his fate.
Prime Minister Nawaz would have to bound his party leaders and ministers not to say anything that may be interpreted by the soldiers as an attack on the institution of Pakistan Army. Kh Asif and Kh Saad Rafique though did not say anything against the Army many believe their tone and tenor even against Musharraf was un-called for.
Since Musharraf’s case is before the Special Court, it is inappropriate on the part of the government ministers’ to try the dictator publicly. Both the government and military have to leave Musharraf’s case to the courts to decide without entertaining any request for a deal.
Musharraf’s lawyers before and during the case and after the indictment of their client have named military many a time in their remarks. They should not have used the name of military.
More importantly, despite the past or even the present wrongs of the institutions whether it is army, ISI or any other agency, parliament, government or the judiciary, the institutions should be protected by drawing a clear line between the institutions and individuals.
Instead of targeting the institutions, rouge elements who use their state given resources to impact events without any accountability or check and balance or oversight, should be identified and corrected.
These people may be doing it for their “right intentions” or maybe they are confused between their loyalty to individuals like Musharraf and to institution and to country and to rule of law and constitution.
On the one hand strengthening of democratic norms within the limits as envisaged by the Islamic constitution of Pakistan is the need of the hour and, on the other, Pakistan requires a strong but apolitical Army for the defence and security of the country. Things could move smoothly for a better future of Pakistan only if all institutions remain within their constitutional limits and this is what the two Sharifs have to realise and ensure.
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