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Thinkers Forum Pakistan (TFP)
Press Release
The monthly meeting of the Thinkers Forum Pakistan (TFP) was held on Sunday the 26th June 2011. Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat (Retd), ex- COAS – PAF, had been requested for a talk on “Civil and Military Relationship – Current Dynamics”. The learned speaker dwelt at length on the topic and made it clear at the start that it was not the relationship that needed examination but it were the ‘perceptions’ held by the civil and military for each other that needed analysing. The relationship was clear that the civil was supreme and the armed forces have to act when ordered by the government in power. The mutual perceptions of each other, however, have been undergoing ups and down from time to time and with the individual personalities at the head of the institutions. General Kiyani on taking over the command of the army took certain measures which had immediate impact in redeeming the situation in favour of the military, like withdrawing the army officers from civil administrative appointments, keeping army strictly aloof and neutral during the general elections, a speedy and successful military operation in SWAT resulting in rehabilitating more than two million IDPs back in their abandoned homes in a matter of just three months – an enviable achievement by any standards, coming to the aid of the civil authorities during the worst floods of the history of Pakistan etc. The graph had certainly climbed up from where Musharraf had left it. Then the proverbial fall after every epic set in. The first stone at the citadel was the unprecedented 3 year extension in the service of the COAS. It was generally believed that the extension was given at the behest of the US and anything symbolising US is not savvy with the general public these days. Next came the killing of two Pakistanis in a cold blooded broad daylight murder in Lahore by an alleged CIA operative Raymond Davis and then not only acquitting him but flying him out of the country in a most unusual post haste manner. Though the ISI denied any role in it yet, since the CIA was involved in the episode the general perception was that the ISI too must have also been a party to it. Then came a series of events in quick succession one after the other – May 2nd the Osama episode, May 22nd the Mehran Naval Air Base attack destroying two Orion surveillance aircraft, the Khoratabad killing of five unarmed foreigners by the FC and Police, much publicised and videotaped killing of Sarfraz Shah at Karachi by the Rangers, killing of a journalist Saleem Shahzad allegedly by an army agency etc., all these added fuel to the already simmering hate fire against the army. ACM Kaleem Saadat was of the view that though the unfortunate incidences had taken place and were directly either due to the dereliction of duty, incompetence or inefficiency on the part of the services, yet the damage to the military reputation could have been lessened had the heads of the immediate responsible personnel rolled promptly in each case. That would have restored the confidence of the people in the institution and redeemed its honour. Next, he emphasised that the nation must be taken into confidence on all such occasions promptly and nothing hidden from it. After all the armed forces are a part of the nation and unless there is something that could compromise their operational readiness, security, competence and effectiveness all other information should be shared with the nation either directly or through their representatives in the assemblies.
Later, during the open house question answer session, many from the audience came forward with very useful comments and suggestions. The need for the utmost and full co-operation between the civil populace and the armed forces, especially in times of the present crucial juncture, was greatly emphasised. A few hinted with cogent arguments at the conspiracy theory of the Indo-US nexus of driving a wedge between the civil and the military to weaken Pakistan with the ultimate aim of destabilising it and thus providing the world at large with a concern for the safety of its nuclear arsenal.
The meeting ended on a positive and hopeful note that the political and military leadership will rise to the occasion and take appropriate measures to foster better understanding and imbue a true and proud national spirit among the people soon.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
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