Time to Accept Civilian Mandate…! By Shiraz Paracha

Before it is too late, Pakistan needs a radical change in terms of reorganizing internal power centers. Adventurous former or serving generals should no longer be allowed to impose outdated foreign policy perceptions. As a significant stakeholder, the military can advise on foreign policy but it must not solely shape or dictate the contours of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

A country’s foreign policy is not formulated on the basis of paranoia and true or false security concerns. Trade and economic interests are corner stone of a successful foreign policy. A country can’t change its neighbors; she has to live with them. A country which can’t establish friendly or at least working relationship with its neighbors loses credibility.

Pakistan has credibility problem because its generals, not politicians; have been controlling the country’s foreign policy. The time has come that for the survival of Pakistan, and to restore its own credibility, the military restrains itself from dictating the foreign policy.

Civilians are not a heard of sheep. We need an army that serves the people of Pakistan, an army that follows law of the land and submits to the writ of an elected representative government. Foreign policy ought to be formulated by the elected civilian government in consultation with Parliament, military commanders, trained professionals, academia etc.

The military is not the sole interpreter of Pakistan’s national interests. The military is not the institution which should set the national or international agenda for Pakistan.

In the past, the people and all institutions of Pakistan were hostages at the hands of their own military. Indeed because of generals’ horrific blunders lives of millions of Pakistanis had been at risk. Intellectually confused generals like Ayub Khan, Sher Ali Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, Aslam Bag, Hamid Gul, Akhtar Abdur Rahman, Naseerullah Khan Baber, Javed Nasir, Pervez Musharraf and many others tried their flawed perceptions and philosophies in Pakistan by force and manipulation.

Professionally incompetent generals, some of whom were also corrupt, had put their personal greed and ambitions above Pakistan. Today, the Pakistani society is a sick society due to paranoia and confusions created by few retired generals.

The Pakistani military was involved in clandestine operations and often the country’s civilian leadership was kept unaware of such adventures, Kargil operation is one such example. In fact an independent investigation would reveal that some in the Pakistan military have been pursuing their own agendas at the cost of Pakistan and its people. Military coups and generals’ unlawful interference in foreign and domestic affairs have harmed Pakistan. Some Pakistani generals think only they know what is good for Pakistan. This approach has hurt Pakistan.

A few years ago, the tone of discussions at Corps Commanders’ meetings was not appropriate. During the PPP government, Corps Commanders acted as a parallel cabinet and presented themselves as defective rulers of Pakistan. Due to such behavior and internal divisions, Pakistan suffered humiliation on the national and international fronts.

The current military leadership can turn the page. General Raheel Sharif is a professional solider. So far his performance and leadership abilities are admirable. He has an opportunity to change the culture of contempt that has existed in the military ranks for Parliament and elected governments. I personally know few generals in General Raheel’s team. They are competent, decent and open minded professionals, who are only interested in transforming the Pakistan armed forces into one of the best professional forces in the world. They also want a soft image of Pakistan and its military. We need such professional soldiers, not politicians in uniform.

The military doesn't have the mandate to change governments or conduct the foreign policy. Nevertheless, as the organization which defends the country’s integrity and sovereignty, the military will remain a key stakeholder in formulating security and foreign policies. An elected Prime Minister and his government should not ignore the military’s professional advice on security and foreign policy. But there is difference between advice and dictation.

Half of the Pakistan’s troubles will end if military commanders recognize and respect, both in letter and spirit, the mandate and write of the elected civilian leadership, and the civilian leadership genuinely accepts military’s expertise by following their professional advice on security and foreign policy. Final decisions about internal and external affairs, however, are responsibility of the elected representatives of the Pakistani people.

Shiraz Paracha is a journalist and analyst. He is also an expert on Afghan, Central Asian and Russian affairs. His email address is: shiraz_paracha@hotmail.com

Is there any magical solution with Imran Khan for Pakistan

Imran Khan declared the May11, 2013 elections are the most rigged in the history. He claimed that all the judiciary, election tribunals, election commission are helpless in addressing their reservations and in return launched a long march to topple the PML-N government and declare mid term elections. 

In case Nawaz Sharif set aside his personal and party interests and declared mid term elections; can Imran guarantee free, fair and transparent election in the existing electoral system? Is there any homework on the side of PTI or they have any magical solution that the mid term elections will be free and fair? Isn't it better to go for homework instead of depriving people of a great holiday?

Parliament's elections reforms committee was a great initiative where PTI could have done much better in establishing a sound and better electoral system that could have guaranteed future elections free and fair. Unfortunately Imran Khan has failed badly on this side.

In case PTI came into power, do they have the solution for economic problems of the country? so far there is no homework and strategy drafted.

Is there any health and education related policy but so far there is nothing and the current actions either guarantee their power or not, but it certainly guarantees further crisis in the country.

There is no policy for peace, unity and stability of the country and one thing is guaranteed in case they came into power that they will cry for the past mistakes of other governments instead of doing something good and concrete for the country like they do in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Under Articl 245, Islamabad's Security has been handed over to Army: TV Report

The government of Pakistan has imposed Article 245 by calling Pakistan Army for Islamabad's security in attempt to avoid any blow back from the military engagement in North Waziristan Agency of Pakistan, the government spokesperson quoted.

The army units will also be responsible to serve as rapid response force which was earlier the duty of Police elite force. The interior ministry has earlier said that the security will be given from August 1, but interestingly Interior Minister refuted the news and clarified that Islamabad was not being handed over to the army. “Neither Islamabad is being handed over to the army nor is there any relevance of August 1. In fact, the army has been called out to assist the police and civil administration for a limited period to avert any possible terrorist attack and to maintain law and order in Islamabad,” he added. On the other hand, Information Minister told the journalist that army has been called for all the Islamabad's security and it is up to army how they deploy their troops.

It is interesting to note here that this step was taken with the intentions of preempting any terrorist attack but the insiders in the power corridors considers this strategic deployment is to coup up with the scheduled rallies of opposition parties during August. The government has probably given the message to march towards Islamabad will be considered as march against Pakistan army. Surprisingly, army's officers shown complete ignorance about such measure taken by the government.

Opposition parties like PPP, PTI and others have opposed the move and consider it a step forward towards martial law in the country.

Weaker are nations more exposed to Cultural influences from strong nations By Mohammad Asad Islam at the Crossroads

No single nation or group can today afford to remain aloof from the rest of the world. Economic development has ceased to be local. Its character has become world-wide. It ignores, at least in its tendency, political boundaries and geographical distances. It carries with itself -and possibly this is even more important than the purely material side of the problem -the ever-increasing necessity of a transfer not only of merchandise but also of thoughts and cultural values. But whereas those two forces, the economic and the cultural, often go hand in hand, there is a difference in their dynamic rules. The elementary laws of economics require that the exchange of goods between nations be mutual; this means that no nation can act as a buyer only while another nation is always a seller; in the long run, each of them must play both parts simultaneously, giving to, and taking from, each other, be it directly or through the medium of other actors in the play of economic forces. But in the cultural field this iron rule of exchange is not a necessity, at least not always a visible one: that is to say, the transfer of ideas and cultural influences is not necessarily based on the principle of give-and-take. It lies in human nature that nations and civilizations which are politically and economically more virile exert a strong fascination on the weaker or less active communities, and influence them in the intellectual and social spheres without being influenced themselves. Such is the situation today with regard to the relations between the Western and the Muslim worlds.

Mohammad Asad's Islam at Crossroad 

Social Media: a Powerful Tool for Social Awareness and Communication (by Shiraz Paracha)

It seems to me that organizing an event through the social media is not very common in Pakistan. Perhaps many of us don’t take the social media seriously. We use social media forums to pass time and often for sharing casual opinions and comments. There is nothing wrong with that but we can also use the social media for campaigning, organizing activities and promoting togetherness and harmony. 

In many parts of the world the social media are sources of bridge building and bringing people together for common causes. Social media forums have become major sources of communication, networking etc. Such forums are also used for event organization and political activism. This has happened because of the mainstream media’s indifference towards problems of working classes. The corporate media serve interests of the rich and powerful and ignore issues that concern ordinary people. In this backdrop the social media forums have become alternative platforms and voices of the voiceless. 

However, the social media are not alternative to actual/physical human interaction and activities. If cyber exchanges and interaction are not backed by real time human efforts and activities, and if the social media sources/platforms are not credible there can be negative implications. Also the social media are not replacement for physical human socialization and political activism. Total reliance on the social media for communication and social activity can result in de-politicizing people, inactivity, individualism, isolation etc. The point to remember is that the social media are not alternative to actual human interaction, activity or interpersonal communication. The social media tools should compliment and strengthen actual human interaction. Use of credible social media forums can supplement real time social and political activities/debates and awareness campaigns.

For example, in the late 1990s, the powerful anti-globalization and anti-capitalist movement were created through the social media where thinking minds and dissatisfied souls shared ideas and concerns. This was followed by actual mobilization of millions of people who would turn up at every meeting of the IMF, the World Bank, G7 group and other influential bodies. Ordinary people successfully registered their protest using the social media as networking and communication tools. The creation of the G20 group was the direct result of those protests where activists from around the world had successfully challenged institutions that protected interests of the rich and powerful. That is why most governments and agencies monitor social media forums for intelligence and information gathering purposes. They formulate policies and strategies in the light of trends and information they note on social media forums. First WikiLeaks and now Edward Snowden disclosures about the US National Security Agency (NSA) electronic surveillance and internet monitoring are examples of the significance of the social media. Anyway it is another topic and I will try to share more thoughts about it but at another time.