THE two-day conference of military commanders besides taking stock of the regional security environment and associated challenges also deliberated on the internal situation of the country. In regards to incidents of 9 May the forum rightly observed that planners, perpetrators, abettors and facilitators of those tragic episodes need to be brought to justice for the collective good of the country and that without swift and transparent dispensation of justice to the culprits and establishing the rule of law, stability in the country will remain hostage to the machinations of such elements.
The failure to deliver justice regarding the tragic events of 9 May, which amounted to both a rebellion against the state and a plotted coup within the Army, is deeply regrettable. Swift and prioritized trials are imperative to hold the perpetrators accountable and uphold the rule of law. Without accountability, stability and the rule of law will remain elusive. Our judiciary should take inspiration from the expedited trials seen in cases such as the attacks on the US Capitol and rioters in France. This is a national imperative.
The perpetrators of these crimes should have been tried under the Army Act, which mandates trials in military courts for those involved in attacking military installations. However, the judiciary’s prolonged indecision on whether to proceed with military or civil trials has allowed many of the planners and executors of these attacks to re-enter political life. Shockingly, some have even ascended to significant positions within federal and provincial assemblies, with one individual even leading a provincial government. Such a state of affairs undermines the interests of the state and the integrity of its institutions. It is therefore incumbent upon the judiciary to promptly decide on the appropriate venue for trials so that the country can move forward.
Another negative fall-out of inordinate delay in concluding trials of these people is that it has encouraged the conspirators and politically motivated vested interests abetted by their foreign cohorts to unleash digital terrorism against state institutions meant to induce despondency in the Pakistani nation, sow discord between the national institutions particularly the armed forces and the people of Pakistan by peddling blatant lies, fake news and propaganda. This observation of the Commanders Conference reflects an irrefutable reality and surely calls for an appropriate action to neutralize the smear campaign by the social media wizards of PTI.
The recent tweets by founding chairman of PTI and statements by other leaders of the party equating the situation in Pakistan with the 1971 turbulence in East Pakistan and targeting the COAS personally reinforces the impression gathered by the Commanders Conference. It is indeed a very worrying situation at a time when the country is struggling to wade through the worst ever economic situation and political instability aggravated by undesirable and anti-Pakistan antics of Imran Khan and his party.
Under the circumstances the resolve expressed by the military commanders to fully support the initiative taken by the incumbent government in multiple domains for sustainable economic growth and curbing illegal activities including smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft, implementation of one document regime, dignified repatriation of illegal foreigners and safeguarding the national data base, is very much appreciable as the country needs a collective effort for overcoming the formidable challenges it is confronted with.
It is pertinent to highlight that collaborative efforts between civilian and military leadership, facilitated through the SIFC forum and diplomatic channels, have yielded positive economic indicators. Encouraging forecasts from international lending and rating agencies underscore this progress. However, to accelerate and fortify this trajectory, political stability is imperative. Political entities must prioritize national interests over divisive agendas to effectively address the country’s challenges and serve the populace.
The PTI and its leaders are well advised to refrain from pursuing their disruptive agenda and maligning the state institutions at the global level particularly the Army which is a symbol of national unity and pride. Instead of throwing flak at it and its leadership there is a need to extend full support to it in the fight against terrorism and warding off the dangers lurking on our western and eastern borders. The need of the hour is that Army should not be dragged in the political affairs of the country and political issues resolved through a dialogue between political forces.
Equally appreciable is the commitment of the Commanders Conference for socio-economic development of Balochistan to counter externally propagated narrative of exclusion exploited by foreign sponsored proxies to mislead youth and disrupt peace and progress in the province. The security situation in that province is very precarious. Baloch insurgents sponsored by India are engaged in carrying terrorist acts against security forces and civilians working on development projects hailing from other provinces. The best answer besides curbing their insurgency through might of the state is to counter their narrative with promoting development in the province and ensuring gainful employments for the youth of the province.
The Army is already working on and assisting in the completion of multiple development projects in the province besides ensuring security of the foreign personnel engaged in the completion of projects under CPEC which is ultimately going to prove as a game changer not only for Pakistan but also for Balochistan. The efforts of the Army need full spectrum support of the provincial as well as national political leadership.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
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