Articles of the year 2015
Published on November 20th 2015
The General is headed out to the US amidst a building restlessness at home. The members of the Assembly, and the Senate have suddenly become very vocal, and instead of being at each other’s, and Imran’s throat have started a united refrain against General Shareef. The politicians probably feel that with Imran licking his wounds, is too weakened and too busy to launch another attack on the political establishment the PMLN. And so they are exhorting the PM to whip the Army into line. Some are suggesting that this may be the time to remove Gen Shareef.
Let us consider the Army led by Gen Shareef, that has been highly successful in its war against the militants in the North, and also in Karachi. The Rangers have done a fantastic job of exposing a highly criminalised MQM network of target killers, and extortionists. The MQM members of the assembly reacted by resigning from the assemblies. Nawaz Sharif prodded by Zardari allowed their resignations to be returned, for if they were to be removed, then the Assembly would fall. Spelling doom for the PMLN as well. A General election at this present time would be too much for the Nawaz Govt to handle. His governance is at an all time low and has been criticised by the army ISPR release, in no uncertain terms. Retaliation from the politicians has been swift. Ranging from Achakzai, Raza Rabbani, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and of course the MQM. The tirade has a double edge. One to show that the Army is stepping into a leadership role, which by rights is the Civilian Governments role. And more importantly. The unity of the politicians is to fool the PM into thinking he is all powerful. A remark from Achakzai is most enlightening. ” if there is a difference between the Gen Shareef, and the Civilian Sharif, I shall be on the side of the civilian Sharif. ” This refrain echoed through both chambers.
The next move is one that Nawaz knows only too well. Both times he had a narrow escape, and this time the PMLN is headed in the same direction. Only this time General Shareef has the Wana success on his side, unlike Musharraf who had a Kargill disaster, and other than his SSG bombast little else. On the contrary the members of the assembly are possibly the most corrupt to have succeeded into the houses except for Imran and his PTI, but have been relegated to the fringes by some dodgy advice given to Imran, and followed by him leading him to disaster after disaster. The Prime Minister is being led into the same trap. “You are the most successful Prime Minister, and have the undivided support of the entire House. ” “the Army and its Chief are your serfs, and under the constitution they must obey you. ” this refrain is being heard through the corridors of the Assembly. The smooth talking sycophants have the inner ear of the PM and the body language shows in the swagger. Much of this is also due to the politics of opportunism, and the evil machinations of the PPP who would love to see Nawaz trip and fall.
The danger for Pakistan is the premature removal of Gen Raheel before he completes his task of cleaning not just Wana, but the filth that has permeated the Assemblies, and the huge mega scams that are being unearthed in Islamabad. No country can afford this scale of corruption, let alone a poor nation such as Pakistan. Most of these scams, are grist for the TV talk shows, and have mesmerised the audiences with the numbers, and the scale. For Nawaz Sharif to then think he has succeeded as a Prime Minister in bringing a red bus to Lahore, and one for Islamabad, while the country struggles in the dark, and without gas.
For him to now think he can elbow aside the only person in Pakistan who is doing a fine job is foolish at best.