ISLAMABAD: With senators observing that the real power lies with the army irrespective of the scheme outlined in the Constitution, Professor Sajid Mir on Tuesday called for an accord among all mainstream political parties to block the way for military interventions.

Taking part in a discussion on trichotomy of powers in the Senate, Sajid Mir, who was elected Senator on a PML-N ticket, said the army chief was and continued to be the third pillar of what was generally called a troika. He said that according to the Constitution, the prime minister should be the strongest among the three, but the situation on ground was different. “Those who have guns in their hands have the real power,” he remarked.

Prof Mir, who is chief of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, said that once known as a ‘hidden hand’, they did not care about remaining invisible now. “They come themselves or bring in people of their choice.”

Senators observe that real power lies with army

He said all big political parties should decide a code of conduct under which they would not look towards the army for ousting an elected government from power. The political parties should compete with each other in the political arena and desist from reaching the corridors of power through shortcuts, he added.

“It is time for all the political parties to decide that formation of governments will be through the ballot and parliament, or else we will continue to suffer.”

Prof Mir bluntly said that the army meddled in the affairs it had nothing to do with and even dictated Kashmir, Afghan and economic policies. “They will not change themselves and we need to mend our ways.”

He said that everybody was all praise for the role played by the armed forces in combating terror and assisting the civilians at the time of natural calamities, but problems cropped up when they crossed their domain. “They should give advice but should not treat the piece of advice as the final decision.”

Karim Khawaja of the PPP said “takeovers and encroachments” would continue until political parties were strengthened. He was of the opinion that people would fight for saving the system if they got the basic facilities of education, health, housing and employment.

Senator Nasreen Jalil of the MQM underlined the need for strengthening institutions rather than personalities. She said the incidents of enforced disappearance were on the rise as those behind these thought they were not accountable to anyone.

Senator Gianchand said the real power rested with the army, adding that the judiciary had always supported dictatorship. He suggested legislation to punish those lawmakers who supported any extra-constitutional move against parliament.

Attaur Rahman of the JUI-F criticised the politicians and legislators who changed their loyalties on dictates of certain quarters and said the Election Commission, parliament and democracy were not independent.

The senators protested over the remarks of Minister for Water Javed Ali Shah, who while winding up a discussion on water scarcity and waterborne diseases causing serious economic and health crisis in the country, described those opposing the construction of Kalabagh dam as Indian agents. Though he did not name anybody, he had specifically mentioned the people from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2017