THE prime minister’s statement that the military was standing with his party’s manifesto along with subsequent press conference of the DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor are two events that should not be considered usual. Both need to be analysed.

The country won independence through a political process under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his comrades. The Pakistani military came into existence after independence. After interactions with a few senior army officers, our founder realised that they do not know the implications of the oath taken or the spirit of the constitution. In his address to the staff college in Quetta on June 14, 1948, Jinnah emphasised that all armed forces personnel owe allegiance to the constitution. It is unfortunate that martial law was imposed four times against the spirit of the constitution and the Quaid’s directives.

Soon after assuming power as president and CMLA on March 25, 1969, Gen Yahya Khan announced one man, one vote (162 seats of National Assembly from East Pakistan and 138 from West Pakistan as per population). In elections of Dec 1970, Awami League’s Mujeebur Rehman got 161 seats from the East and PPP’s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto got 81 from the West and nothing from East Pakistan.

In this scenario had there been a seasoned politician at the helms of affairs, an agreeable political solution could have been worked out. For the smooth functioning of the country a fair and free political process is essential.

Commodore (retd) Dr Anjum Sarfraz

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018