Pakistan came into being as a result of a resolution passed on 23rd March, 1940, and it was a purely democratic way which helped the leaders of the Muslim League set their line of action in the direction of establishing a homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. Due to the democratic struggle for Pakistan, it was also decided that a democratic system would be adopted in the country where all the decisions and country's affairs would be run with the consensus of the majority of the people. But alas! Just after coming into being, the lesson of democracy was forgotten and after the deaths of two great leaders, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, conspiracies against the democracy and the sovereignty of the country started. Due to the tussles among the political leaders on different issues and matters, the military started taking an interest in the civil government's affairs.
Ruling the country in uniform or without uniform is not only the ambition of present or ex-servicemen but is also preferred by the United States as the United States has always bestowed Pakistan with its "blessings" when there is a military government in charge. |
It is revealed that we, as a nation, are not democratically healthy since our beginning (1947). There are certain certified democratic norms and principles which are followed all over the world but in our case, the situation is entirely unfavorable. We have never followed these democratic principles. On the occasion of the elections of 1951, a disobedience movement was seen. The English Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistani forces started disobeying the orders of the civil rulers. Great Britain claims to be the standard-bearer of democracy despite practicing kingship but the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army who belonged to Great Britain had refused the orders of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to send troops to Kashmir. The Kashmir dispute was not solved by the British according to the decided formula of the partition of Hind and they left this dispute unresolved intentionally so that tension could continue in this piece of land. This was the same reason that the forces were/are the most powerful and superior element of the country.
A number of factors emerge when it is analysed why the army is superior in this country. Not only is the army itself interested in meddling in the affairs of the civil government but it does so because a number of politicians, who have zero support and can never reach the "houses of power", invite the army to "take action" so that they (the politicians) may also enjoy posts as ministers, governors, etc. Not only do the rejected politicians invite the army but also the feudals, capitalists and so-called religious leaders. Another strong lobby which provides better opportunities to the army to hold the reign of government is the bureaucracy and the offspring of bureaucrats. With their exploitation and conspiracies, the politicians, bureaucrats, religio-political leaders, factory and mill owners, etc. give the army a safe passage to play with the destiny of the country and countrymen.
The first such attack on Pakistani society was conducted in 1953 after the movement against Ahmedis (Qadianis) in Lahore. This was the first opportunity given to the army to exercise their "full" powers against the masses. Then in 1954, the then commander-in-chief was inducted in the federal cabinet after making him the federal minister of Defence. After four years, the first martial law was imposed in 1958, which was greatly and warmly received by the masses, simply because there had been no progress in any field and neither had a strong government been formed during the first 10 years of the establishment. During this period, a number of prime ministers and cabinets came and went. Uncertainty prevailed everywhere whereas in the other country, only one prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru and his cabinet had been in power. India had demolished feudalism and feudals, the constitution had been passed and democracy was being developed.
In 1956, a constitution of Pakistan was passed but could not be approved unanimously by all quarters. It was still in the stage of amendments that it was annulled by the martial law of 1958. Every page of history thereafter is in front of everyone.
In Pakistan's 61 years, the army ruled the country directly or indirectly for more than 53 years. Although this seems an exaggeration but direct army rule makes up 33 years while the other 20 years have been of indirect rule. This is very painful. A faithful Pakistani knows and feels this pain but is helpless to find a remedy. It is an undeniable fact that Pakistan was not made by the defense forces. Pakistan was acquired as a result of Quaid-e-Azam's untiring efforts which he made under the banner of the All-India Muslim League. The Muslim League was a representative political party of the Muslims of India but the irony of history is that the areas of the subcontinent where this party played a vital role, were not made part of Pakistan. Although the Pakistan Movement had been launched to a large extent in East Bengal, it could not show any enthusiasm in the part which is now called Pakistan.
The pages of history are also blank in this regard. In Punjab there was a Unionist government, NWFP held a referendum, Baluchistan was not a province at that time, and Sindh started taking part in favour of Pakistan during the final years of the Pakistan Movement. Researchers can easily find out that Pakistan's founder party, the Muslim League, was not so politically organized and strong that it could bring different nations and linguistic groups together for the constitution of a new country. Pakistan had to face every type of challenge to get recognition and for the maintenance of its existence. As compared to Pakistan, India was an old state and different affairs including the passage of constitution had been done much earlier. The most important thing is that the founder of the Independence Movement of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru, continued the leadership of his country for seventeen years which is a reasonable time to achieve the stability of a newly-born, independent country.
Pakistan, just after its establishment, had to face a number of miseries and misfortunes. Pakistan Muslim League was a weak party, both in East and West Pakistan. Quaid-e-Azam passed away after just one year of Pakistan's establishment and during this year, too, he remained sick. Three years after the Quaid's death, the first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, was also shot dead. After them, there was no one to make continuous political efforts of producing the passion of patriotism among the masses. The anti-Pakistan Movement political forces emerged with the dispute of ideology of Pakistan and started dividing the nation. There was not only the physical difference between East Pakistan and West Pakistan but also of language and mentality. Pakistan's leaders and rulers were not politically strong or stable enough to resolve all these problems and afflictions easily.
Conspiracies continued to hatch, the Muslim League remained divided, and new parties continue to form and different people continued to fight against one another but no serious political effort was made to mould all these groups in one national group. To fill this gap and to bring the entire nation together, the army continued its role.
General Ayub Khan was the first Pakistani General to hold the command of the Pakistan Army on 16th January 1951. In 1958, he proclaimed martial law in the country and started ruling as a military dictator. Although the command of the army was in the hands of General Moosa but it was indirectly under the command of Field Marshal Ayub Khan. The Indo-Pak War of 1965 was fought during the same era. Ayub Khan contested the presidential elections and won against Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and hence became the President of Pakistan.
Under strong opposition by the masses, Ayub Khan had to quit in 1968 but he did not give charge to a civilian ruler and was succeeded by the commander-in-chief, General Yahya Khan. General Yahya's martial law was a continuation of Ayub's martial law which ended on 20th December 1971. During Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's era, General Tikka Khan was the Chief of Army Staff (the post of commander-in-chief was converted into COAS after the 1971-war) who remained in the same capacity from 3rd March 1972 to 1st March 1976. Thereafter, General Tikka Khan was made the federal defense minister in the cabinet of Z.A. Bhutto.
On 5th July, once again, the civilian government of Bhutto was removed by the then-COAS General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haque who ruled the country in uniform till 17th August, 1988, when his plane crashed near Bahawalpur. Zia's regime was marked by many important events such as the hanging of Bhutto, the possession of Siachin by the Indian army, the tragedy of the Ojhrhi Camp, and the Afghanistan war. All these events have had great and long lasting effects on Pakistan.
General Pervez Musharraf was made the army chief on 6th October, 1998, by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but on 12th October, 1999, Musharraf ousted Sharif and became the military ruler of the country. He remained in uniform till 28th November, 2007, but did not quit the office of President and is still in power.
Ruling the country in uniform or without uniform is not only the ambition of present or ex-servicemen but is also preferred by the United States as the United States has always bestowed Pakistan with its "blessings" when there is a military government in charge. Eleven years after 1947, when there was civilian rule in Pakistan, the US continued paying US$ 30 million in annual aid to Pakistan but as soon as General Ayub took over, the aid reached to US$ 94 million in 1958 and later on, it was increased to US$ 100 million. This practice continued till the end of Yahya Khan's regime in December 1971. When Bhutto came in, the aid was curtailed to US$ 28 million. In 1976, the aid was further reduced to US$ 3.9 million. Just after Bhutto was ousted by General Zia, the US again came with an aid package of US$ 217 million per annum. When Nawaz Sharif tested nuclear technology in 1998, aid was reduced to US$ 76 million. After Nawaz, when General Musharraf took over, this aid was increased to US$ 333 million and Pakistan continued receiving the same without any hurdle or breakup till the end of 2007.
Today once again, there is a civilian government in Pakistan and the US is seriously considering curtailing the aid. Although there is a long history of the involvement of the army in Pakistani politics but the statement of sitting COAS General Pervez Ashfaq Kiyani released before the general elections of February 2008 in which he had directed the army officers not to have meetings with the political leaders was very much welcomed by almost every quarter and it is hoped that the army would pay attention to its profession and would let the politicians rule the country democratically.n
