Now that the Prime Minister Office has finally notified Lt Gen Nadeem as the new spymaster, the last several weeks of wall-to-wall coverage appears a futile exercise. The unusual delay in confirming what should have been a routine matter for the intelligence agency in a functioning democracy gave an open ground to forces on a perpetual lookout for a whiff of a scandal. Lack of consensus was the order of the day. The much-vaunted “one-page” mantra quickly fell prey to the rumbling thunder of conspiratorial wheels. After a seemingly endless game of back and forth, the nation can let out a deep sigh as the dark clouds have been driven away. The dreaded institutional clash (for the umpteenth time) does not look like an impending reality, and things are back to normal. The cyclone may have been averted, but some important lessons are for due consideration here. Going by PM Khan’s choice, he did not seem to have an issue with the man. Even if there were some after-thoughts in Red Zone, an unnecessary swirling of Chinese whispers was the worst way to go about it. Unnecessary statements by the PM’s aides, especially Amir Dogar, helped weave a frenzied narrative; setting the scene for an ultimate face-off between the kaptaan and the powers that be. While some on the media were just as beyond the pale with their breathless commentary of punches being drawn and throats being grabbed, it cannot be stressed enough that this time, it was Islamabad behind the tempest in its teacup. Yes, there is a greater-than-ever-before need to safeguard the cornerstones of democracy in a country that has experienced quite a few bouts of political interference. But in doing so, we cannot make light of the formidable institution, which has been acting as an iron bulwark for Pakistan, especially in the last few years. We have left the bad aftertaste of General Musharraf’s self-touted crusade way behind us. The militablishment of today could not be clearer in its priorities. Therefore, casting doubts on the meritocracy of the military’s domain was a very risky move. The immaculate reputation it enjoys in maintaining a highly-professional structure (one of Pakistan’s highly-prized assets) does not need any footnotes. Since the regulations are written in words of one syllable, it was mandatory for General Faiz to command a corp in order to qualify as an Army Chief contender. No shortcuts there! Blurring of lines or burying of faulty lies, the country needs both headquarters to make their peace. It can only be prayed that cooler heads prevail now that the discord flame is out. Put simply, we cannot afford a growing gap! *