The State of the Nation
The Anguished Cry of a Concerned Soul
Anwaar
Hussain
We
have just turned 55, a ripe old age for a nation. For most nation
states, the age of innocence would have long passed by now. Having
shed their baby fats by the time they reach this age, nations are
supposed to have developed strong limbs, a healthy body and a powerful
brain to command the body and limbs into efficient and productive
actions. Actions those are ever so vital for the nation states themselves,
for those who live in these nations and the comity of nations. This
is also the age at which, having firmly established where it stands
at present, nation states have a clear vision of where they are
going.
What
happened to us along the way? Where are we Pakistani nation today?
Where are we 
headed?
Why do we frequently find ourselves between a rock and a hard place?
Why are we kicked like a hardball between the opposing teams of
civilians and military men? If a civilian rule is the norm for most
other nations, why does the khaki intervene so regularly in Pakistani
governance? If the Khaki does intervene, why doesn’t it continue
for good making it the rule rather than the exception? Why is it
that people are, in the end, as fed up with the military rule as
its civilian predecessor? If democracy is that universal cure-all
medicine for all other contemporary nations, why doesn’t it
work in Pakistan? These are the questions pestering the thinking
minds across the cross-section of Pakistani society.
Three
years back when the military intervened in Pakistan it was stunningly
unbelievable. It was thought that the world had, by then, seen the
end of such interventions in Pakistan’s civilian governance.
It also laid to rest all theories of military interventions having
finally become outdated, obsolete, and redundant at the turn of
the 20th century. That it has happened is now a proven history.
What is worrisome is that it may happen yet again in, let us say,
year 2010 after a brief civilian interlude. It, therefore, becomes
a matter of profound concern to the intelligentsia as to why does
it come to pass so regularly in Pakistan? It is difficult to offer
an isolated, impersonal examination when it is one’s homeland
that increasingly becomes a subject of derision in the so called
enlightened world. Yet the subject needs a cold surgical analysis,
a dispassionate study not clouded by warm vapours of human emotions.
What
exactly is the problem? The concept of nation states firmed
up in 20th century. Many different models were tried to administer
their affairs. Countless human lives were wasted in the pursuit
of a perfect system. From feudalism to democracy, it was a painful
journey for the humankind. A journey littered with roadblocks raised
by despots and dictators of every hue and colour. The natural end-result
was that democracy became the most triumphant, the most prevalent
model. Simply because there were more people in this world than
all the generals, tsars and feudal put together. These people wanted
to stand up and be counted in how their lives were to be governed
by their States.
Consequently,
today’s successful nations are not governed by General George
Bush or by Admiral Tony Blair or Air Chief Marshal Lee Kuan Yew.
Furthermore, no country today is an island entirely of itself. All
are crowded together on a very small planet that has become smaller
still by the virtual explosion of information in the past two decades.
These nations interact, cooperate and intermingle in many different
international activities and thereby influence each other in a multitude
of ways. Events taking place in the heart of a desolate desert in
a far off medieval country like Afghanistan, for example, can change
the shape of planet earth in more ways than one. Thus as democracy
rose and fascism receded, despots started to die their own deaths.
Most dictatorships are gone and the remaining ones, labelled as
pariah states in the meanwhile, are wobbling at the knees about
to fall. Dictatorship was disliked in the 30s, unwanted in the 50s,
objectionable in the 80s and is absolutely abhorred today at the
dawn of the 21st century. Pakistan’s problem, exactly, is;
“The military (Khaki) intervenes regularly and interrupts
the civilian governance”
Why
Does the Pakistan Army Intervene in the Civilian Governance?
The simplest answer to this question is because it can. Pakistan
army has neither descended from Mars, nor sent in by the Chinese
on loan, nor is raised from men reared in an incubator. It very
much comprises of men drawn from a cross-section of Pakistani society
cherishing the same ideals, having the same tastes, norms, mores,
ethos, and morals. One can find a banker, a businessman, a doctor,
an army officer and, sometimes, even an odd politician in the same
family. The Pak army, therefore, values the same ideals, is inspired
by the same issues, and in the same way, as the rest of the nation.
It is, in short, a chip off the same log. Furthermore, Pakistan
Army is the largest single organisation having its own transportation,
communications, health, accommodation, and a host of other mini-systems.
It is, in a way, a complete sub-society in its own rights. The only
unique distinguishing factor is that of military discipline, a woefully
lacking feature in the otherwise larger Pakistani society. It, therefore,
tends to have a blowback effect on its larger parent body. Like
any other army, Pakistan army too has been entrusted with the task
of guarding its frontiers. This is sometimes taken to mean guarding
all geographical and ideological frontiers...a debatable point at
best. The thoroughly modern Pak army is seen as the final saviours
by the illiterate multitudes that inhabit this country. Over a period
of time, the Pak army has not only started to believe in such a
role for itself, it has started to relish it too. Militaries the
world over are essentially alarmists in nature. Pakistan army is
no exception. Yet due to the fully-believed final-saviours role,
the swiftness with which it reacts to any real or imaginary internal
threats to national security is singularly unique. Above all, Pakistan
army has the gun and their civilian counterparts have none.
So in a single sentence it can be said that Pakistan
Army is the largest single, well disciplined, armed organisation
entrusted to guard the somewhat elusive frontiers of a nation whose
pains and tribulations are shared by it. Field Marshal Ayub was
the man who led the first intervention of Pakistan army into the
civilian governance. There was almost a sense of relief in a nation
gone sick of the crafty politicians and their intrigues. In the
following four decades of intermittent military rule the Pak Army
continued to draw a few lessons for itself. These are;
* All politicians without exception are cunning,
greedy and corrupt to the bones. The governance of the country,
therefore, could not be left to the politicians alone.
* The people of Pakistan look up to Pakistan army
as the final saviors. As that is the ultimate truth, the world opinion
can cool its heels.
* It is good to be the kings.
Let
us take a brief look at a typical political-military cycle of governance
in Pakistan. The single most frequently cited raison d'être
for the military intervention, save for the last time when the civilian
rulers were blamed for criminal intent first, has been the ineptitude
and corruption of politicians. Even in the latest intervention,
corruption of politicians ultimately came to ride in the forefront
of all theories put forward as justifications. In the sporadic civilian
rules, the politicians would tend to hit the gravy train with a
vengeance. While the Khaki would wrap up its possibly objectionable
activities in blankets of national security, there was no such luck
for their civilian counterparts. Devoid of a sacrosanct cover, and
not sure of the time the khaki would give them, the in-power politicians
would simply dive into the national coffers headlong and go berserk.
This
would be a frantic and highly visible activity on the otherwise
placid national scene. To ward off the intervention of an army that
can and will intervene, the politicians should have been focusing
their energies on making and sustaining strong sturdy institutions.
Additionally, it is a universal fact that the militaries the world
over, Pakistan army being no exception, are interested only in strengthening
their own institution. This reality should have further urged the
politicians to, at the minimum, strengthen existing institutions
if not model new ones. Institutions that could act as bulwarks against
military intervention. They, instead, ended up attacking these in
the brief respites that they would give themselves from robbing
the nation blind.
Stories
of Zardaris and their cronies making sickeningly large fortunes
in less time than one can say the word dollar would start doing
the rounds in the Mess halls. The nation too would be abuzz with
the dizzying tales of unbelievable gluttony and naked nepotism of
these politicians. Truth would become a first casualty as usual
and perceptions would be all that matter. People would start sending
agitated signals to the military. Even the out of power sycophants
amongst the politicians would start clamoring for military intervention.
The military, with the all-too-convenient self-drawn lessons etched
on its mind, would willingly read much that is not there in these
calls. It would watch for a while, let the stew bubble up to a point
just below eruption, and then bring down the axe with a loud thud
of moral righteousness. The scavengers would be caught with the
gravy almost running down their chins. Accountability would become
the prime exhortation of the saviors. A lot of fleeing, nabbing,
and prosecuting would be seen by the galleries. Soon the dust would
settle down. The Allah Dads and Gul Mohammads would once again get
busy in search of three square meals. For a while it would be back
to normalcy, or whatever its Pakistani equivalent.
Over time, the politicians too drew a few lessons
for themselves. These are;
* The military can and will intervene. It is watching
their each and every move with malicious intent. It is only a matter
of time, so concentrate hard on refining the art of robbery. The
institutions, in the meanwhile, can take a walk.
* The military has the biggest gun in the country.
Hate it for that and off-set this vital shortfall by wile, cunning,
fraud and subterfuge.
* It is good to be the kings but it is oh-so-short.
The
military would get down to enjoying the pleasures of the King’s
role in real earnest. Along the way, and contrary to what the politicians
do, they would add further muscle to their own institution with
better arms, permanent placement of own men in strategic appointments,
and insertion/deletion of vital clauses in the constitution for
longevity of military rule. Before long the military too would start
suffering from a different kind of visibility problem. They would
deluge the state machinery with a tidal wave of men in khaki. Railways,
WAPDA, communications, transportation, media, sports, education,
police, national financial institutions, municipalities, bureaucracy,
town planning, various state administrative setups etc. etc. would
be full of serving and retired khakis.
Initially
they would serve with a typical military zeal and spirit. Having
essentially the same values as the rest of the nation, soon a similar
ratio of rogues amongst these men too would start indulging in the
very same activities they once blamed their civilian counterparts
for. Despite layers of secrecy, the military would start throwing
up its own Mansoor-ul-Haqs. Likewise, the military too would be
right on track in practicing the fine art of nepotism. The nation
would spot their progeny gorging itself on the ill-gotten fruits
in plain sight. Once again a wave of discontent would wash over
the nation. International opinion too would start to make distracting
noises for democracy. At this stage the military would get into
a standard dilemma. How to, or whether to, get back into the long
vacant barracks? The military would start to thrash exit strategies
with feverish urgency.
It
would then start bringing in the discarded, but willing, politicians
as a façade for democracy. It would be afraid of dismounting
the tiger that it rode because the tiger was not theirs to ride
in the first place. It would take a monumental misfortune like the
loss of half a country or a major accident like the mid-air explosion
of an airplane carrying the country’s military ruler for it
to withdraw. In their hasty and disorderly retreat, the military
would leave behind a worse lot of politicians than the ones they
booted out. Each party would get back to its primary role for a
short period of time and re-read their lessons. After a brief interval
the whole cycle would, once again, start its sickening repetition.
This is how a typical political-military governance cycle goes in
Pakistan. Ironically, the nation in whose name this tug-of-war goes
on, figures nowhere in the scheme of things.
The root cause of the problem, then, is inept politicians
and a heavily armed military that deeply mistrusts civilian governance.
In the absence of strong institutions and an intrinsic check on
the misrule of the politicians the military finds it only too easy
to intervene whenever it wants to. As a matter of fact the Pak army
has evolved as an alternate political force and woos the same very
nation for approval that the politicians do. Blame game notwithstanding,
both the military and the politicians have contributed in equal
measures to the present state of the nation.
The
Solution: No viable solution can be presented to any intractable
problem unless the parties to the problem move from their stated
positions. The contending parties are the politicians who are supposed
to be representing the nation, but we know better than that. The
army whose sole job should have been defense of the borders, but
again we know better than that. The nation, of course, is a helpless
on-looker.
For
any solution to click, the prerequisites will have to be present.
For an ideal democracy to work we should have ideal politicians
standing tall, upright and capable of delivering. We should also
have educated citizenry able to use the power of vote for the societal
good at large while spawning high caliber politicians in its womb
in the meanwhile. As for upright politicians, the pen wavers while
putting two such words together and the present state of national
literacy is a story foretold. As both prerequisites are non-existent
at the moment, let us forget about the concept of ideal democracy
for a while.
On
the other hand, we could disband the army, take away their gun or
carry out gene therapy on its governance taste buds. We cannot do
without an army for the present and none has ever heard of an army
minus the guns. While the penchant that the military has developed
for governance in the last four decades can be done away with in
time but not for the immediate future at least. History cannot be
undone and the old hands are still around. For a workable solution
both the military and the politicians will have to move from their
avowed position of reciprocal hatred and fixated postures.
A
half way measure will have to be accepted as a stop-gap means. The
concept of ideal Western style democracy will have to be put on
the back-burners for a while. Both parties will have to accept mutual
checks and balances; the politicians on their tendency to melt within
the general vicinity of state treasuries and the military on its
propensity towards intervention. The sole aim being the continuity
of civilian governance so that it can formulate and pursue policies
without fear of interruption. Policies with the aim of so educating
the nation that it can in, let us say, 20 years time throw up a
mass of educated electorate who can choose what is good for them
and their society. And while that is happening each will have to
unlearn, if that can be done, the self-drawn lessons.
The
military will have to realize that the days of the Khaki are over
for good and the present overtures of the world powers are pregnant
with self-serving sycophancy. They will have to learn that the ineptitude
of politicians, and their love of greenbacks, is a universal phenomenon
and not singularly unique to the Pakistani lot. And that in their
own ranks too there are villains who will match if not surpass the
greed of these politicians. They will have to wash away the pleasant
memories of the Khaki Raj and dampen their enthusiasm of using the
sledgehammer at the slightest of provocation.
The
politicians will have to smarten up their act and catch up on the
fact that the nation they wish to rule has no further patience for
their antics. A capable, honest and delivering politician cannot
be removed by even the highest caliber guns of the land as was recently
proven in Venezuela. President Chavez was carried on shoulders by
his people and put back in his office despite the sole super power
openly backing the Venezuelan military putsch. The politicians must
hit the history books and remember what the French peasantry did
to the people with soft hands at the gates of Paris in the French
Revolution. They hung them by their necks from the nearest trees
for never having put an honest day’s labor with those hands.
No
sooner did the life of the father of the nation end in dubious circumstances;
we have been bandied about ad nauseam. From sick, debilitated politicians
to greedy, power hungry Generals it has been one nightmare of a
journey for this ideological nation state. In the Pakistani landscape,
the dictators emerged in all colours ranging from khaki to whites
and in attires from Generals’ tunics to sherwanis and pinstripe
suites. They led this gullible nation down blind alleys waving banners
of theocracy, democracy, basic democracy, peoples’ empowerment,
housing, clothing, and what you have. Some had no such patience
for these verbal mirages and enforced plain despotic rules. We believed
in them and their promises. They promised us better tomorrows. Sunny
days in flowery gardens free of darkness and misery.
Days
when our progeny and we would live in a happy present with sights
set squarely at a promising future. In return, they only wanted
a little more sacrifice from us. We went along with them. Merrily
carrying our impoverished bodies to whatever altar of sacrifice
was appointed for us. The promised sacrifices would always be exacted
in full and then some more. The promised gardens, however, would
be nowhere nor sunshine nor any silver lining on the dark horizons
of our wretched existence. The messiahs would have disappeared into
far off lands after having raped our innocence. The nation would
lie prone bleeding profusely from wounds inflicted with a careless
abandon. Time for other messiahs to appear? Are they here after
all? Is there a hope? Is any one listening? Happy birthday...Pakistan.
Author’s Note: - Despite efforts to the contrary, what
was attempted as a detached, impersonal analysis of the malaise
that inflicts our beloved country ended up as a cry of anguish.
I was unable to stifle it as it came straight from the inner sanctums
of my soul. I have served with the Khakis for 23 long years and
know for sure that the Mansoour-ul-Haqs are an exception rather
than the norm. An aberration on the fair name of men whose contract
with the nation includes being in the front lines come time to die.
And, as has been proven over and over again, they are there in hordes.
Likewise, I am equally sure that somewhere in the ranks and files
of our politicians, there are men and women who are capable of standing
tall, upright, and unyielding. People who can lead this gifted nation
to the glory that is its ultimate destiny. It is only a matter of
time before they come to the fore. The
journey is painful but we have no choice. May God be our companion.
Ameen.
eagleeye@emirates.net.ae
Email Story | 
Discuss Story
