THE civilian and military leadership have reiterated their commitment to upholding national interests and working together for a prosperous and secure Pakistan. The pledge came during a visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the General Headquarters (GHQ) on Friday where, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the PM and the senior members of the cabinet accompanying him were briefed on the current security environment, threat spectrum, response to the security threats and ongoing counter terrorism operations. The PM remarked that Pakistan was destined to rise and the role of the defence forces in ensuring the peaceful rise of Pakistan cannot be over-emphasized. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir affirmed that Pakistan Army will continue to measure up to the nation’s expectations and will resolutely support the government in addressing the security challenges facing Pakistan.
It is customary for the chief executive of the country to pay a visit to the GHQ after assumption of power to get a comprehensive briefing on defence and security environment but the one by Shehbaz Sharif assumes special significance as it takes place at a time when Pakistan is at a crossroads due to its economic vulnerabilities with far-reaching implications for national security and survival. We have been emphasizing in these columns that PML(N) has a track record of delivering as per dictates of the time and expectations of the masses. Shehbaz Sharif is criticized by many because of the bitter decisions his coalition government took as they added to the burden of the common man but it has to be realized that the economy and the governmental system cannot be run on borrowed money for all times to come. There are already indications from multilateral institutions and bilateral donors that they are willing to cooperate with Pakistan provided it continues its journey on the road to reforms and restructuring, which will ultimately benefit the country in the long run. Apart from the fact that the measures taken by the then Government prevented an otherwise imminent sovereign default, its policies, which were taken forward by the interim administration, have started bearing fruits as the country has enhanced its tax collection, inflation is climbing down and there is a semblance of exchange rate stability after a considerable period. These achievements were made with the active and firm backing of the Pakistan Army, which provided necessary support in making crackdown against mafias of different sorts a success. As the country is still in the midst of crises, it needs to pursue its path to address the economic ills on a sustainable basis. Political and elected governments remain vulnerable to pressure and lobbying by vested interests and as a result they do not pick up courage to offend influential lobbies and segments of the society. Apart from this, the incumbent Government is also somewhat fragile in the sense that it is a coalition of conflicting interests and faces stiff resistance from the powerful opposition. The Government has an ambitious agenda to implement but vested interests became active even before its assumption power spreading all types of fake news and disinformation about the strength and lifespan of the new setup. Therefore, the Government needs complete backing of all national institutions so that it spends its energies on efforts to salvage the economy and revive shattered confidence of the people as well as prospective investors. In this backdrop, the assurance given by the Army Chief to provide full support to the Government in addressing serious challenges would surely infuse necessary spirit among the team members of the Prime Minister. Those working on an anarchic agenda did it in the past and would try it again to sow seeds of mistrust between the civilian and the military leadership. To counter such conspiracies, it is imperative that the civilian and the military leadership meet frequently to have brain-storming sessions on the prevailing and emerging situation and to evolve a coherent strategy to safeguard national interests. It may also be pointed out that the armed forces have been shouldering crucial responsibilities both during peace and war times and it is but natural to strengthen their institutional capacity. The commitment of the Prime Minister that the government would provide all the resources required for ensuring operational readiness of the armed forces is an indication that the Government was alive to their needs.
