Daily Times

Only here in Pakistan can the country’s most formidable institution at once be accused of being all powerful as well as lacking in integrity of command. But such allegations are just what the Army seemingly has to tackle from all sides. As if Nawaz Sharif’s innuendos about the military getting rid of him were not enough — now a former Army chief has put them on the spot.

Never the one to be outdone, Gen (rtd) Pervez Musharraf has thrown in his tuppence-worth by alleging that rogue elements within the establishment may have been involved in Benazir’s murder. Let’s make no mistake this is no ordinary former COAS. He is one who is wanted on murder-related charges. Now if that doesn’t polish off the military brass, we have no idea what will. Yet by alluding to these ‘rogue elements’ within the security apparatus, poor old Musharraf appears to have shot himself in the foot. And not in a commando type of way. For he had only doffed his uniform just one month prior to the aforementioned murder. Meaning, of course, that it was under his watch that such elements had been allowed to go rogue. He may or may not have found an unnatural ally in the shape of Railways Minister Saad Rafique, who alluded to the COAS not being in quite full control of those to whom his command is applied. But sadly, this is a different Army chief and a different time.

Thus DG ISPR Major General Ghafoor was right to only take on the latter’s allegations, before slamming them as entirely irresponsible. When it came to the former military strongman, he was equally measured as he essentially issued a ‘no comment’. Yet rather than being purely borne of an inbuilt need to protect one of their own — this was likely a case of pragmatism winning the day. For as Gen Gahafoor rightly pointed out: he is only the spokesperson for the current COAS and is thus in no position to comment on the tenure of his boss’ predecessors.

Given this ongoing farcical comedy of errors, the so-called faces of Pakistan’s future democracy (for even Musharraf wants to give politics another try) may have scored an own goal. Meaning, that all those who are turning their ire towards the military establishment are being left with increasing spurts of embarrassment. Because throughout all this petulant narcissistic point-scoring — the citizenry has well and truly relegated to little more than a prop while the big boys continue their political wrestling match that long ago called time.

And all the while this reinforces the image of the Army as the only stable force in today’s Pakistan. Which is tantamount to dancing on democracy’s grave. *

Published in Daily Times, December 29^th 2017.