Pakistan Armed Forces in deep ferment - Early Times Newspaper Jammu Kashmir

news details

Pakistan Armed Forces in deep ferment

M.M. Khajooria

9/17/2019 9:53:43 PM

The extension in the service of Gen. Bajwa, the Pakistan Army COAS hides much more than what it reveals. The common perception that PM Imran Khan was manipulated or arm --twisted to grant him extension was grossly flawed. The truth is that the two factions in the Army power structure- those effectively leaning towards Jihadees and those adhere to Sandhurst model of professional army- is almost evenly balanced The developments in Kashmir and within the country have generated palpable tension between the two. Gen.Bajwa is believed to be the only one enjoying the confidence of both factions . This enabled him to maintain the much needed cohesion. . His departure at this critical juncture had the potential of upsetting the precarious balance with unpredictable consequences ,a luxury neither the Pakistan government nor the Pakistan army could afford .It may be recalled that many officers commissioned during the Dictatorship of Gen. Zia ul Haq have by now earned senior positions, -some as Lt.Generals command strategically located corps.
It may be recalled that Jamaat-i-lslami had gained strong influence in the Army general HQRS (GHQ) during GEN. ZIA uL- Haqs' military dictatorship. He encouraged Jammats' Tablige (preaching) groups to visit PHQ at will. As a result army officers while on duty went out on Tabligi missions sometime even using military Helicopters It became a fashion in the GHQ to grow beard like Mullahs .The traditional army discipline thus became a causality to Zias' Islamic zeal. Conflicting Islamic cult began to have hay days .weakening the army service ethos ad discipline.
Every thing has not been hunky-dory in Pak army ever since its inception.Investigation into assassinations, leads where of pointed towards involvement of army whether that of Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan or Army chief Gen.Zia never saw the light of the day Even mere mention of events of such great public importance was considered blasphemous entailing severe punishment. Mutinies happened. Mutineers were eliminated .Everything was kept under wraps.
The spell has now been broken. . Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, Director General of ISPR announced on 2nd June that Brig. Ali Khan had been arrested for his links with Hizab-UI-Tahir .Later four Majors were also arrested on the same charge. The News said "... but the reality he (Maj Gen Abbas) and rest of the army command face Is that an unknown proportion of serving officers and men may be of radical persuasion and may pursue radical and extremists agendas from their positions in the ranks or officer cadre"
He was arrested on General Kayani's order on May 6. But the public was told about the arrest on June 21 just a day after the government appointed two commissions under two Supreme Court judges to investigate the Abbottabad episode and killing of journalist Salim Shahzad, allegedly by the 1S1 for revealing that a section of Naval officers in Mehran Navy Base supported Al-Qaeda
Brig. Khans', lawyer Imam Rahim , however maintained that his client was taken into custody on May, 2n' four days after the killing of Osama bin ladin. The reason for the arrest according to him was his out spoke questioning at the meeting addressed by Army Chief Kayani about Abbotabad raid to kill Osama The lawyer said "Brig. Ali asked if Osama bin Lad was there and our forces remained unaware then those who failed to track him must be held accountable .Likewise, if Osama was not there and nevertheless the operation was held , even then the responsibility has to be fixed ."He also questioned the luxurious life style of top Brass in the army .
Hizb-ut-Tahrir, to which Brig. Mi Khan and four arrested Majors had links, was reportedly founded in Jerusalem about sixty years ago with the objective of reviving the caliphate. It claimed to have more than two million adherents in 40 countries. Its current stronghold is Britain .Its strongest desire is to infiltrate the Pakistani Army , topple the government there and bring that country's nuclear
arsenal under its control. It maintained the facade of a non-violent political movement but shamelessly shared the obscurantist Islamic ideology of Al-Qaeda and Taliban who call democracy "Kufr" and promote global terrorism Hizb ut-Tahrir focussed on the reestablishment of the Khilafah had emerged as the single largest Islamic political party of the world. Hizb ut-Tahrir has published a huge number of books, booklets and leaflets in the past to eliminate the misconceptions and confusions in the Ummah related to the systems implemented in the Khilafah State. A chapter each is dedicated for ruling system, economic system, judicial system, social system, foreign policy, internal policy, education policy and media.
Its success became evident in 2003 when some military officers were arrested on charges of plotting a coup. The arrested officers had become members of Tehrir when they were in England for training at the Sandhurst Military Academy. This Academy is one place where Tehrir's activists catch Pakistani military officers.
There were elements in the military, who wanted to violently overthrow the government structure in Pakistan to establish Khilafat. In September 1995, a group of 36 Army officers was arrested for conspiring to kill the top civilian and military leadership in the country to establish Khilafat. The group, led by Maj. Gen. Zaheerul Islam, had spent millions of rupees for buying weapons from Darra Adamkhal, notorious for manufacturing arms illegally.
It is significant to note that these Army men's conspiracy was backed by countrywide public meetings organized by Jamaat-i-lslami and Jamiat-ul-Uiema-lslam to propagate against western democracy, which they declared was un -Islamic. These parties had almost totally been rejected by the voters in the 1993 general elections and therefore it was generally presumed they were just calling the grapes sour. They were very evidently a part Of the Army men's failed conspiracy. The Islamists, however did extraordinarily well. Everyone in Pakistan was stunned, because a six-party alliance of militant Islamist groups won nearly 70 seats in the National Assembly. This is nearly 25 percent of the seats that were contested. Compare this to Pakistan's last parliamentary election, in 1997, in which they won only four seats.
And despite all pressures, horse trading and alliances Musharraf's hand-picked choice, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, was elected prime minister with a razor-thin majority of one vote in the Parliament.
I have come across a Leaflet [17 Dec 2010) addressed to the Armed forces of Pakistan which says it all.
"O Muslims! Deliver this letter to all the sincere within Pakistan's armed forces that you know
"Establish the Khilafah, even though Pakistan's traitor rulers hate it O officers of Pakistan's armed forces!
You are leading the largest and most capable Muslim armed forces in the world. The Muslim armed forces alone have the material strength to establish the Khilafah." This speaks volumes.
The threats from within Pak Army are serious and real, the economy is shambles and country's' image in the world community has taken unprecedented beating. PM Imran Khan and Gen. Bajwa better look out.

Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network

Comment on this Story

Like our Facebook Page