Daily Times

The war of words between PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif and PPP chairperson and president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari is hotting up. After Nawaz Sharif made a frontal assault on the government for corruption, misgovernance, failure of the military and intelligence agencies in discharging their duties during a public meeting in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, President Zardari paid him back in the same coin. He accused Nawaz Sharif of trying to pit the PPP against the military and creating rifts within the army. It did not end here, as the PML-N retaliated and accused Zardari of being a military apologist. The substance of their arguments notwithstanding, the language employed by the leaders of the two mainstream parties has embarrassed many. It is sad to see that the national political discourse has dropped to the level of personal attacks. While criticising the government is the right of the opposition, mud-slinging and name-calling do not behove the heads of political parties. Although Asif Ali Zardari was speaking as chairperson of his party, he must remember that he is also the president of Pakistan and by making such remarks, he has lowered the dignity of his office, which represents the federation of Pakistan and is supposed to be politically impartial. What kind of example are these leaders setting for the rest of the politicians and their own party cadre?

As for the substance of the allegations and verbal attacks, what has most piqued the PPP chairperson and the military is Nawaz Sharif’s calling for accountability of the armed forces. He went so far as to suggest that the intelligence agencies, instead of doing any good, have destroyed the country. While one might not disagree with the essence of his argument, but to present it in the manner in which he did was not at all desirable. However, there is a need to see whether it was Nawaz Sharif who has whipped up this controversy about the role of the security forces or was merely reflecting a sentiment that already exists. The truth is that large sections of society share Nawaz Sharif’s sentiments. Regrettably, the security forces have themselves contributed to this controversy through a series of recent events: Abbottabad, PNS Mehran Airbase attack, Kharotabad, Saleem Shahzad’s murder and the Rangers’ killing of a boy in Karachi. These were not one-time slips but manifestations of the gradual decline in the professionalism of the security forces that has been in process for a long time. The security establishment is visibly shaken by the barrage of criticism it has recently received at home and abroad. However, instead of shooting the messenger, as it did in the case of journalist Saleem Shahzad, who revealed the infiltration of al Qaeda in the Pakistan Navy’s ranks in his reports, it needs to address the concerns being raised by various quarters.

In the middle of the struggle against terrorism, the intelligence agencies and the military deserve support, but in return they must be above board and highly professional. Therefore, they should concentrate on the message of this diatribe being directed at them perhaps for the first time since the secession of East Pakistan. Public confidence in the protectors and defenders of the nation is of utmost importance, particularly in the current circumstances when the security forces are up against a formidable enemy that has declared war on the state. They cannot fight this war without public support and due respect for the job they are performing. If the security personnel who are being killed every other day in attacks across the country are lampooned and viewed as being part of some murky game, how can we expect them to put in their best effort? Therefore, it is important for the security bosses to address the criticism and take credible measures to remove the grievances against them.*