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Understanding Pakistan’s Civil Military Divide

Mudassar Nawaz-03-PMS Probationer

Why this topic is important ?

• Today, when we stand at the crossroads of history; we're fighting a great number of challenges which are gigantic in magnitude and some of them pose existential threat to the state of Pakistan. It has all the way become more important to harness a harmonious and reinforcing relationship between different institutions of the country to encounter these challenges ; and military and civilian government are two the most important among them otherwise we have already lost one part of the country in this wrangling

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Defining civil-military relations Pakistan is basically a Federal Parliamentary Democratic Islamic Republic & civil–military relations means the relationship between democratically elected civilian representative government and the military organization as a whole.it encompasses the equation of power between the two vital forces.

In our country these relations have been very turbulent and sort of antagonistic while for the development of the country we need very harmonious and supportive relations between the two institutions i.e., Parliament and Military

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An interesting insight ;Tracing Pakistan & India’s Expedition To

Democracy• Despite having started from the same point India & Pakistan provide illustrations of contrasting patterns of civil military relations.

• British had established strong civilian supremacy over military organization in British India but these norms could not sustain in Pakistan while India not only incorporated them in the society so successfully that it is the largest & the strongest democracy on the face of earth today with very well established democratic institutions and customs.

• Where did Pakistan make mistakes ?• Javahar laal Nehru lived till 64 while Quaid

left in 48

• We had 6 Prime Ministers till 58 while India had just one till 64

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Fragile vs. Agile Democracy

Fault Lines In The Equation :

• Pakistan ; a security state • Indo-Pak war of 1948• This Gave military an unprecedented

privilege to deal with the security issues 11 years Delay in constitution making was

disastrous Inter party conflicts destroyed unity Provincial and Ethnic Differences Subservient Role of judiciary

Judiciary is not only the guardian of the constitution but also the guardian of the fundamental rights of the people

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• Inability of civilian government to develop national institutions

• Overreliance on military for establishing its authority e.g., Karachi operation

• Gives an impression of incapability of civil government to deliver

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Ayub Khan

• To Check Communism

Zia Ul Haq • To Defeat USSR

Parvez Musharraf

• To Fight Al-qaida And Taliban

Over Reliance On Military For Civilian Work &International Support To Dictatorship

The cost of civil-military imbalance

• Weakly established political parties and civil society • Civilian governments have lost

credibility and there is a lack of trust between government and the people ;people consider army • Society entered into a loop of

militarization and extremism as a result of highhandedness & imprudent policies of military planners

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Showed military the corridors of power

Separation of East Pakistan

Kalashnikov culture & religious fundamentalism

Scourge of suicide bombing & ethnic and provincial disharmony

http://hilal.gov.pk/index.php/grids-preview/2014-09-09-14-38-33/item/816-civil-military-relations-in-pakistan-the-current-troubles

The current status Who’s on the driving seat and why ?

• PM Nawaz Sharif 3rd tenure • Army is overtly having full control over

security , foreign and defense policies of the state • ISPR• Foreign ambassadors• Security advisor • Rebuking Defense Minister

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Outlook of the future:• Though the long shadow of the military rule and imbalanced nature of civil-

military relations are not over yet, Military has displayed rare restraint in last 7 years by not directly stepping in the active politics despite numerous “golden” occasions to capitalize on.

• It is because of the two factors :1. Military has learnt some harsh lessons from the previous misadventures 2. It is the power of media ,judicial freedom, and maturity of politicians which is restricting it in barracks.

• Any sort of mistrust may not augur well for the future of the country. The resolve by COAS and the Armed Forces of Pakistan to support democracy is, indeed, very positive and .The civil government must make full use of this opportunity and, foregoing their personal interests and business, should deliver to the people and strengthen democracy in this country for a better Pakistan.

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Suggestions to make the things better • As a nation we are not clear regarding our ideas, ideals ideology heroes and

villains which creates unwanted problems. Even dictators and usurpers of people’s rights are worshipped and held in high places like divine beings. we should respect those leaders/politicians who ensure constitutional sanctity & Constitutional supremacy and people doing the otherwise must be brought to the books .

• Education is a perquisite for a functional and flourishing democracy so to make the things better we should patronize and promote quality education throughout the country.

• A large chunk of our society considers democracy Un-Islamic and unsuitable for the country. This debate should come to an end now & to this end the help of moderate and enlightened religious scholars can be sought.

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For Further Studies

• The Army and Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan• By Aqil Shah• Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

• Military Inc.• By Ayesha Siddiqa

• Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within• Oxford Pakistan Paperbacks

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THANK YOU !