Averting the ‘Hamid Mir’ Symbol Roy Ijaz The series of events unfolding in Pakistan starting from Musharraf’s trial to the attack on Hamid Mir needs to be understood correctly else the nation has to pay deeply. The attack on Hamid Mir, or attack on ISI by making Hamid Mir as symbol, seems to be the setting of vested agenda in motion. The tense pictorial view of the National Security Council showed both the military and political leaders sitting across the table yet miles away. These are the unfortunate environments in which they have to operate when major changes in the region, like elections in India and Afghanistan, withdrawal of US forces; major decision post withdrawal and the overall international and regional environment demands an absolute different working dynamics that was pointed out politely by China recently. The unintended consequence of such politico-military division and consequent polarization would create deep troubles for the country in near future. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif knows the undemocratic forces that had worked to disrupt democracy in the past and betrayed the people’s faith on democratic institutions. The political posturing of his advisors and cabinet ministers and the overall media environments is creating a pit into which this country and its leadership have been thrust in the past. Media mistakenly under the “Lawfare” is creating the gulf which may polarize the institutions. Few want to create a symbol of Musharraf for democracy and rule of law. Make it if you want but honestly and justly. We have already created so many wrong symbols that we as a nation are ashamed and can ill afford anymore. We made symbol of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, later of Benazir Bhutto many a time and of Islam from adivinely ordinated religion to a symbol of hate and intolerance. We cannot afford any more symbols. Military under COAS Gen Raheel Sharif firmly stands behind Nawaz Sharif and want the democratic process to succeed. Why media is showing it in opposite poles? Who is better than present COAS to support Nawaz Sharif? All that the military wanted was a fair trial of ex-President and not to be made Symbol unjustly who is ex-COAS also. The ex CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry had his own agenda against Musharaf. Had he separated himself from the bench that passed a judgment against Musharraf people might have accepted the verdict. He so carefully isolated Musharraf that the whole case became a blunder from the beginning similar to the one like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. How could its persuading result in fair trial of ex-President? How could one man impose an emergency? Was it not approved by the National Assembly that we now know? Were not all the Corps Commanders on board and they approved the proceedings? Does the record of NA suggest that it was an act of COAS and not the President? Why then on the order of COAS the state institutions like NA and Governors and Minister acted and helped in governance? If they have acted on the orders of COAS were they not collaborators and abettors of COAS? How the charge sheet could exclude them and the names of others who are close to two dozen presently serving in the party of Prime Minister? Why is the Supreme Court washing its hands of collaboration with dictators in the past through the case of Musharraf and correcting historical context? Has the case not appeared into the one with political intent that Nawaz Sharif can ill afford? Isn’t it crafted so carefully by ex CJ that process may never result in justice for the accused leaving deep psychological wound to the Military? How the lower tiers in Military not much educated but emotionally trained be explained that it is fair trial that is fed by media as politically motivated? The Prime Minister now knows and should separate himself wisely otherwise the judicial martyr of Musharraf will appear to be politically motivated symbol and will so polarize the nation that it might result in derailing of democracy. Toleration is advised and if the tradition of making symbolism picked up fever in the society then people may start demanding that those who stole the elections of 1990 and took money may also be symbolically punished. Those who attacked the Supreme Court and collaborators and coconspirators of all the dictators be symbolically punished. PM Nawaz Sharif might also consider that why many in his party have contempt against military and ISI. Their posturing with calibrated timings was not coincidence but created fault line and divided the politico military leadership at critical time. Who is accentuating the fault lines and benefitting? Who is advising his ministers and advisors? The latest attack on Hamid Mir (God may save him) is manifestation of these fault lines. He has been attacked to accentuate the same fault lines. The politico military leadership as well as judiciary and media should understand the narrative and the regional dynamics to understand how they being used as tools of war, against Pakistan Military, ISI and Pakistan’s political leadership. Defamation of ISI at this critical time through unproven allegations has caused greatest harm to Military and ISI. The media and judiciary may not even know that they are part of the game and engaged in warfare against the military under Lawfare that is an established form of warfare where media and judicial institutions are used to achieve political objectives. They may create the circumstances with no choice for democracy to survive. Certain important right wing media persons adhering to their theocratic agenda wants to make a symbol out of secular Musharraf masking behind Nawaz Sharif. These well-wishers of Nawaz Sharif want the case against Musharraf at all cost fair or not, presenting organic makeup of Nawaz Sharif in line with them and dangerously antagonistic against military. They also consider democracy as antithesis to Islam. Having proven connections with extreme right wing cause they can create marvelous narratives though remotely accurate to create a symbol after symbol. In case of Musharraf much has been talked about making him a symbol to stop the future adventurism (Military). His punishment, his trial, the political intent and the judicial process all appears to be just fulfilling that purpose. The inquiry, the prosecution, the careful isolation and a pre-determined and calibrated process to punish him would be a political baggage though done judicially. Don’t shape the history of modern Pakistan by so corrupting the judicial process that we as a nation remain polarized and our trust in judiciary suffers. How could ex CJ communicate with the special court as has become apparent that he communicated with the special court about Musharraf before his appearance? What else he has communicated is not known? Does it happen in any democracy? Does it happen in any judiciary around the globe? Can’t the ex CJ then manipulate the outcome if he advises the special court? Opponents of Nawaz Sharif advised him that symbolism will be catch 22 for him and through it the dictatorship of another kind might come. Army under COAS Gen Raheel Sharif would never be party to any undemocratic process. He has monolithically united the Army that respects rule of law and he assured the Prime Minister that it will follow the policy given by Government. He comes from the family of honored Shaheeds and is a symbol of pride in military who honor his words and is magnanimous. Don’t make symbol of institutions if only we are aware of what are the undercurrents and avalanches that confronts this Country, ISI and it’s Military. The writer is Masters in Defence and Strategic Studies from King Abdullah’s Academy/Mouta University Jordan and is expert on information warfare and can be reached at roynaseer@yahoo The best way to hit hard the enemy is to make its army so susceptible in its nation’s eyes that it starts considering the saviors as killers.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 19:28:58 +0000
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