IT now appears that the Pakistani military is loath to miss the peace bus. For the first time its army has chosen to speak of resolving all issues with India, so that “peaceful coexistence” may become possible, leaving greater room for development. This pulpit talk from the head of the Pakistan Army, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, if meant seriously, should imply a completely new role for that country’s armed forces…. Only then will it have credibility. …Gen Kayani’s dove-like remarks … will mean something if he takes his forces back to the barracks. … Once that happens, and the politicians have well and truly taken over from the men in uniform, the ideal of “peaceful coexistence” that the general spoke of can be meaningfully pursued.

For now, however, it is hard to get away from the fact that the Pakistan Army’s formal doctrine is to fight India. This was underscored by Gen Kayani himself about a year ago. As long as this remains the case, the Skardu remarks should be discounted. Nearly 140 Pakistan Army personnel perished in the snows in the Siachen glacier region earlier this month, and there was a howl of protest in that country against stationing forces in the icy wasteland. This hostile public reaction is what appears to have made Gen Kayani resort to the camouflage of peace, and seek the withdrawal of both Pakistani and Indian forces from Siachen. But little may be expected to change on the ground.

Since Osama bin Laden was taken out by the Americans under the Pakistan Army’s nose last May, it has suffered much in public esteem. Besides, of late, Pakistan’s civilian leaders have made some fruitful moves on the economic side with India, which have been reciprocated. This seems to have gone down well with the Pakistani public, and thus cut into the Pakistan Army’s constituency. Gen Kayani is only making tactical moves to repair the damage. — (April 21)