THERE should be no doubt about significance of Quaid’s advice given on 14 June 1948, that paid government servants should have no role in political decision making. Had we followed MAJ’s advice, Pakistan would have been saved humiliations of surrender and disintegration. Adoption of a Constitution by 1949/1950 would have facilitated creation of a modern democratic welfare state, envisioned by Founding Fathers. Events in Iraq, Libya and presently underway in Syria, should awaken us for the need to have a well-equipped trained professional army, capable of defending our territorial integrity, from evil designs of our known enemies, and the Zionist lobby. It is part of Zionist plan to create unrest within Muslim majority countries through disinformation, create ill will, between people and vital security institutions of the state. Those involved, whether misled, or willing to become accessories, in propagation of viscous campaign against the army are no friends of Pakistan. Most of them have sworn undivided allegiance to another state. This is very unfortunate.
PTI enjoys popular support in this country, and it needs to display level of maturity and responsibility which falls on its shoulders, while involved in a legitimate political struggle. It must not forget, that the powerful AIPAC and Indian Lobby, based in Washington, has openly opposed acquisition of Nuclear Defense Deterrence Capability by Pakistan, in response to India’s Nuclear explosions in 1974, followed by three explosions in 1998. PTI must distance itself from this lobby. With political power, comes responsibility, not to compromise collective national security interests of Pakistan, whatever maybe PTI’s grievances. There is no doubt that major structural reforms must be carried out within judiciary, bureaucracy, and khaki establishment, so that they assume their apolitical constitutional role.
October and December have been significant in the history of Pakistan, ever since its emergence as a sovereign state in August 1947. It was on 16 December 1971 that Pakistan faced disintegration. On 16 December 2014, over 140 innocent school children were massacred by six militants associated with TTP, most of foreign nationals. One of them was a Chechen, three were Arabs and two were Afghans. This should have been enough to jostle us out of any confusion about the good or bad extremists or Taliban. Yet within a few years, we forgot this massacre and the likes of Faiz Hameed, at the helm of our intelligence agency during the tenure of Gen QJB and PM IK, negotiated a deal allowing thousands of extremists to enter Pakistan carrying their ammunition, on the excuse of rehabilitating them. What followed thereafter has been a continuous period of brutal terrorist attacks, killing hundreds of thousands of citizens of Pakistan and uniformed brave sons of this soil. Over 180 citizens of Pakistan have been killed recently in the Bajaur Agency riots, where warring factions, using latest military equipment, probably left over by Americans in Afghanistan, are engaged in a tribal war. Primarily the KP government is responsible for its failures to protect lives of citizens. Federal Government also, cannot be absolved of its responsibility. Nobody benefits if Pakistan suffers.
Foundations of AIML were laid down on 30 December 1906 at Dacca, whilst first formal meeting after adoption of the Constitution at Karachi in March 1908 was held at Amritsar in December 1908. It was on the night of 12/13 December 1949, that a Dakota of Pakistan Air, carrying the senior most 2-Star Maj General Mohammed Iftikhar, serving as GOC 10th Division, under Gen Gracey C-in-C of Pakistan Army crashed, killing him and 22 others on board ill-fated C-53. According to Maj Gen Pataudi, a close friend of Maj Gen Iftikhar, he was “concerned about politicization of a few officers in the army” and would not have allowed the army to be involved in politics. Perhaps, the choice of a professional military officer of repute, as head of Pakistan, did not suit plans of British Colonial power, who preferred Ayub Khan, although he had been superseded by Brig Nazir, Iftikhar and Nasir during the life time of MAJ, reportedly by his orders, for his dubious role as part of Pakistan contingent, deputed to protect Muslim refugees migrating from East Punjab. Even Gen Reese and Gen Messervy, the first C-in-C had declared him unfit for promotion. Earlier in 1945 it was Gen Reese who had relieved Maj AK of his command in 1945 battle of Kohima during WWII Burma campaign.
The First Constituent Assembly formed by Quaid on 11 August 1947, to draft and adopt a Constitution was dissolved on October 24 1954, by GG Ghulam Mohammad. On October 7 1958, President Maj Gen Iskandar Mirza abrogated 1956 Constitution and conspired with Gen AK to stage a coup. This was followed, by another coup by AK on 28 October 1958, to oust his co-conspirator IM and impose another martial law. Jinnah’s Pakistan was finally derailed. When Fatima Jinnah stood up to defy and challenge 1965 rigged elections, held under the hybrid BD system, all limits of morality and ethics were violated, when AK embarked on a character assassination campaign against Madre Millat with the help of Raj trained bureaucracy. An advertisement funded by state was printed in Times magazine. AK was assisted by Gen Wajid Ali Burki, who was one of the most corrupt officers, who allotted to himself and members of his extended family expensive Evacuee property and agriculture lands.
AK himself was a beneficiary of this abuse, when he allotted to himself hundreds of acres of agriculture land, including those which were declared Evacuee Property. Ghandhara Motors was gifted to AK for his role in 1962 Sino-Indian war. Gohar Ayub while leading a victory procession to celebrate rigged elections through different parts of Karachi, in particular neighbourhoods, which had overwhelmingly supported Madre Millat, attacked homes and residents resulting in fatalities and injuries to several. This laid foundations of ethnic riots in Karachi, which continued to haunt this country and witnessed emergence of Altaf Hussain.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
