If Army acts like a Political Party Why not a Forward Bloc in it?

The sordid state of affairs in Pakistan, the ongoing rape of the Constitution, the compact shamelessness being displayed by certain quarters, the depraved substitution of national interests with purely personal ambitions, the meticulous dismantling of the institutions, the total contempt for the people’s will, and a range of menacing political developments, have left every sane person in this country thoroughly dismayed, bewildered, clueless and wondering that to which depths of decadence we are being shoved down by our khaki-clad messiahs.

I firmly believe that every patriotic Pakistani has a duty to warn that the nation is marching towards a precipice, whenever he/she discerns such a risk. And never before I have felt a stronger urge to rebel against the reign of khakis, denounce their transgressions and stand up to their inane games, as now.

Without intending to be impolite, wouldn’t it be really pertinent to raise an allegorical question: if politicians -- obviously, here I mean fully civilian politicians -- as khakis want us to believe, are prostitutes [albeit, my personal opinion too is that normally even whores are more principled than most of our leaders], then is it irrational, unpatriotic to look around for their pimps?

Ask yourself, what is a bigger and more deplorable sin: to be a prostitute or to be a pimp? Likewise, who bears the ultimate responsibility for the revival of horse-trading: the horses or the traders?

Thankfully, it is more than evident now to all and sundry that politicians are merely petty pawns. The real masters of our destiny are not those who go around begging for votes but the dozen or so, top commanding generals. The legislating assemblies, periodic elections, civil façades intermittently popping up, all this is nothing more than a charade for placating international demands and an illusion designed to dupe general public at home.

However, the military has got to make a decision. A couple of straightforward options are available to them. One, if the military wants to be regarded, respected and adored as an institution, it must confine itself to its stipulated sphere of duties, refrain from shenanigans and restores itself as an apolitical, neutral organization -- resolutely and squarely dedicated to defend the geographical frontiers. There is no other way out.

Two, in case, this noble path is not acceptable or fails to satisfy the egos of the top brass, they must gather the courage to face the inevitable pitfalls of the political minefield -- like men. Once, in the rugged political terrain, it is naïve [and a futile exercise] to expect or demand not to be evaluated on a par with the [reprehensible, corrupt] civilian counterparts.

In fact, Pakistan Army is the largest, mightiest political party in the country, by any definition of the term. As its institutional stakes and demands, regardless of the political configuration in place, always far exceeds than that of all the other parties’ put together; as the enormous trust people used to repose in it has time and over again badly betrayed; and as the immense respect it once enjoyed among masses has totally failed to satiate its extra-constitutional aspirations; the Army must be considered and treated as a political entity – subjected to all benefits and constraints of politicking.

Hitherto, the Martial party has been engineering split in other political parties, by hook or crook [only to perpetuate its own hegemony]. Why not this tradition be reciprocated? If lotacracy is the only mode of government compatible to the “peculiarities” of our country then why not generals too should get the due share of the divine blessings? Those who have transformed coercion, bribing, deceit, deception, falsehood and selfishness, into art would never mend their unscrupulous methods -- voluntarily.

Thus, why not a forward bloc in the army? PAP – Pakistan Army Patriots. I mean a group of senior generals coming forward and announcing that they want to help the COAS to transfer power to the civilian government. It would be in order if they further declare that the sacred task of upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and the people’s will, supersedes every other duty. And they are not doing this to support any particular party for the time being and are not under pressure either to support any particular party.

They can conveniently proclaim that the decisive factor behind their decision is the realization that it is high treason, a capital offence, to be a part of any military dispensation or to abet it in any form. Adding, “we will extend support to any party in keeping the greater national interest in view”. The political process is in a state of a deadlock and "we want to remove this deadlock for the sake of transfer of power and promotion of democracy”.

In response to a question regarding leaving (the party, or resigning from the army for the formation of the forward bloc), they could say, "We are in the party and will never leave it. Pervez Musharraf is our leader and will remain in the party. But we cannot allow an individual to keep the country hostage to his personal wishes for an indefinite period of time. We should also get a chance." The circle coming full way.

[I have been extremely careful not to say anything that can be construed as an instigation and therefore kept myself strictly to the officially approved kosher stuff i.e., comments made and statements issued by former PPP President Punjab, Rao Sikandar Iqbal and Faisal Saleh Hayat, since announcing the formation of a forward bloc in the PPPP on November 14.]

Moreover, military personnel swear allegiance to the Constitution and to the motherland, not to any chief, no matter that happens to be Ayub, Yahya, Zia or Musharraf. Loyalty ought to be to the kingdom not to the king, whatever benchmark, one may apply of commitment, moral obligation and patriotism. Pakistan MUST come first. Servile obedience of unlawful orders is as repugnant and detrimental as the unmotivated disobedience of the legal ones.

General Musharraf was courteous enough [and absolutely correct] in his last address to the nation when he reminded his fellow Muslims, citing the Holy Quran, the utmost importance of keeping words [and oaths]. The well-versed Federal Information Minister Nisar Memon has also dutifully informed that the floor-crossing is a vote of conscience. He argued that every member of the parliament had the right to freely express his/her dissent against his/her party decision in the ’larger national interest’ and it should not be described as horse-trading.

By clearly affirming, “the forward bloc by some PPPP members was not a defection as they still claim to be a part of their party”, and it was nothing new as it had been a practice, the Law Minister Khalid Ranjha, cleared the legal ambiguities as well. With the induction of Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Faisal Saleh Hayat and other dissidents in the Federal cabinet, no doubt, as General Musharraf claims, he has fulfilled all the promises he made on October 12, 1999 and has ushered Pakistan in an era of eternal prosperity.

Even otherwise, a rather straightforward arithmetic: when and where popular mandate – the most valuable of all public assets -- is not worth more than the boots of the generals; the Constitution – a corner stone of any civilized society – can be flouted, tampered with and disparaged -- with impunity, the sanctity of the chain of command and concerns for military discipline become non-issues.

In other words, forming a forward block in the Army, is not only a religious compulsion and a moral obligation on the part of martial stalwarts, it is also a legally permissible well-entrenched tradition. It would also definitely result in tremendous financial dividends and career promotion for those who dare [and have conscience]. Corps Commanders rise up and cease the opportunity.

We, the simpletons trusted Musharraf despite several bitter experiences of so-called reluctant saviours and welcomed him as a necessary evil, hoped for a departure from the filth of the past, dreamed for a new era. Alas, what we get in return is shoddier than a worst nightmare. Taking the phenomenon of political corruption to previously unknown heights, General Musharraf and his uniformed colleagues, along with a bunch of civilian fagots – ever willing to serve anyone who can pay – seem to be hell-bent to wipe out the very last traces of uprightness from the society.

Is this the God-damned ‘true, sustainable democracy’, the NRB had invented for us after three years of hard work and squandering millions of rupees? Is this the obnoxious ‘continuity’ General Musharraf had been so passionately chanting about? Will the coming generations forgive us for not protesting and sitting idly, and letting the generals ruin the country, perhaps beyond recovery?

It took 30 long years for our mighty Generals to realise that the Pak Army committed “excesses” in the Eastern Wing and [superficially] regretting about them. It might take three more decades but sooner or later they have to lift the siege of the remaining [truncated] part as well. The question is not if, only when and how.

Just for putting the record straight, Musharraf’s so-called favourite “silent majority” clearly voted against him in the last election, all pre-poll rigging, manipulations and gerrymandering notwithstanding, yet again exposing the hollowness of the “heaviest mandate ever” secured through the referendum. What more could we helpless Pakistanis do?