Keep fingers crossed

Byadmin

Dated

November 19, 2022

Keep fingers crossed

It is widely acknowledged that the Pakistani polity is fast unraveling Keep fingers crossed and, as is another acknowledged rule in this context, it is unraveling from the top. The appointment of the COAS is a case in point that was hitherto considered virtually a holy grail and was dealt with in byzantine secrecy but now it is an issue that has overshadowed cataclysmic events such as constitutional overthrow of a political dispensation and unprecedented devastation caused by floods. The controversy associated with this issue has refused to go away and has pitched almost every conceivably viable segment in the country diametrically against each other. As the end of November creeps closer the nasty sound of muzzled infighting is slowly breaking out.
Though on the surface it is vehemently pointed out that the bunch of officers who have climbed up the ladder to reach the coveted three-star positions are all extremely eligible but there the argument just drops into a limbo as it becomes a matter of reconciling it with the preference of the institution and the option of the incumbent dispensation. The situation is further complicated when it is viewed in the backdrop of a strong propagandist populist pressure group that has already kept pressure up through a long march that may well turn-up to be violent and its main aim is to ultimately influence the appointment of the COAS. The situation is a virtual powder keg particularly when it is observed that no counter action is taken by the coercive arm of the state against the gradually increasing provocative tactics of the agitation.
It goes without saying that during the last few years the reputation of the premier institution of the country has suffered and its role has been widely criticised bringing its standing down in the eyes of the people. This is a crucial factor as the institution took pride as being the repository of the confidence of people when it came to taking right decisions in terms of guiding the country in times of difficulties. The high level of the reputation of the army enabled it to get involved in political affairs of the country and people applauded such interventions only because they trusted its good intention and judgment. It is for the first time that the so-called hybrid experiment proved such a calamitous period in the country’s history that people started to doubt at the very basis of the trust reposed in the very institution they so loved and respected over decades.
The lack of trust emerged when they consistently supported the anti-establishment stance taken by two diametrically opposite political groupings i.e. PMLN and PTI when they were successively removed from power on behest of the establishment. Ironically, the establishment supported PTI in its bid for power, stood by it throughout its stint and government, ditched it in the end and then turned against it. This was the proverbial full circle and the people did not want any more confirmation therefore the support of anti-establishment stance gained support and is not dying down and has compelled it to proclaim that it will stay neutral but people are not prepared to take it on face value hence the complications regarding the appointment of COAS that are reminiscent of the urge of the people’s representatives to assert some form of control over the dominant authority exercising control over the country for decades.
In the circumstances it is not easy to decide upon the appointment as virtually the top brass has been compromised by the leading political groups. The propaganda groups have already carried the conflict to the inner confines that is proving harmful particularly as social media has become the main propagating tool and is widely believed and trusted by Pakistanis the world over. The need is to devise a counter narrative that is credible enough to allay all misgivings about the matter and the only way is to be straight forward in the matter. It would not be fair to penalise senior officers for the sake of few miscreants who are out to destroy reputation of an institution that maintains high standards of professional excellence and is courageous enough to come into the public arena and admit that it had committed mistakes in the past and that it is willing to rectify them.
This is a very healthy sign from an institution that possesses the wherewithal to change its perception as well as its tactical orientation and once its commits embarking on a course of action it ultimately accomplishes it. For the moment, however, it is still too soon to predict about who would be the next COAS as it is a tricky affair to dabble into. The situation has gone murky and no prudent person should hazard a guess. The best option would be to keep the fingers crossed. TW

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