THIS is apropos of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's statement: 'Any official action by a government functionary without the prior approval of the government is unconstitutional and illegal.

The PM was referring to the replies submitted by the COAS and the DG ISI to the Supreme Court, which they submitted in their personal capacities and not through the ministry of defence under the normal chain of command.

The entire nation is aware that the government and the army are two opposing parties with completely different views on the memogate scandal. This takes the constitutional obligation completely out of context and highlights a very peculiar and uncommon situation in any country of the world where the COAS is challenging the supreme commander of the armed forces or his trusted lieutenant (ambassador) with the allegation of conspiring and abetting a superpower to interfere and assume control of the security matters of the state.

If the COAS is unquestionably convinced on the 'attempt to sell out the security/sovereignty of the state' by the political elite, then what are the morally permissible avenues of protest available to the COAS consistent with democratic values? The courses open to him congruent with military traditions are simple. He could resign. Request to be relieved in protest.

Appeal to high command (which in this case is the Supreme Court).Resignation accompanied by a public declaration of reasons exposes the government intended action to public scrutiny and debate.

Such course of action is preferably consistent with the democratic values and in no way challenges the civilian control of the government. Especially for a COAS who is on extension and has already completed his normal tenure of service. Such a resignation is not addressed to a person but the 'system' which is informed in no uncertain terms that 'the disputed/contested scandal' is questionable and seriously in error.

If the ultimate desire is the protection/guarding of vital national interests/matters of national security, then the resignation by any authority closest to the national security matters is likely to have immediate and lasting impact on the resolution of the scandal in line with the national interests.

The Pakistan army is a 'value-infused' institution. The cadets in the PMA are taught that 'an officer never cheats, steals or tells a lie and neither does he tolerate others doing so.

This lesson taught in the PMA tests the resolve of officers every time they are caught between the demand of the conscience and illegal/immoral orders of superiors.

It is this value-infused institution that the COAS represents and thus cannot be expected to remain silent or go along with the government on the ill-conceived andpoorly structured memo that was designed to compromise our national interests.

The military leadership must not allow the politicisation of the army as an institution.

Self-examination and self-criticism by the army will help it to guard the values that it holds so dear and keep it afloat in the murky politics of Pakistan as a disciplined institution in control of its destiny. To guard and protect these values the military leadership must not shy away from paying any cost.

The prime minister and the government, on the other hand, must own the army and its leadership and must seriously address the apprehensions brought forward by the military leadership.

LT-COL(Rtd) MUHAMMAD ALI EHSANKarachi

Nawaz's role

ABOUT one and a half months ago Nawaz Sharif took the Memogate issue to the Supreme Court, while he was aware that a parliamentary committee was pursuing the issue. The parliamentary committee was set up by the government to probe the Memo issue independently and fairly. Parliament is supreme and sovereign institution.

At the same time Supreme Court Bar Association President Yasin Azad was of the view that issues like the Memogate scandal should be taken up in parliament and that the judiciary should not be involved in them.

Commenting on memo issue, former SCBAPresident Asma Jahangir said that the judiciary was not an elected institution, it should avoid indulging in controversies.

Nawaz sharif did all this to enjoy the clash between institutions and unfortunately the government-military relations got worsened.

Since then to date civil-military relations have been getting worse by the day. The garvity of the crisis reached peak when the 111 brigade commander was changed by the COAS.

If the democratic dispensation is deposed of, the onus of the crime will be on Nawaz Sharif because he undermined the role of parliament. If he and his party were not happy with the performance of parliament, being a political leader he should have used the Memogate as a tool for parliamentary activism to make it visibly active and more viable.

He should have played his positive role for the supermacy of parliament. Instead he maligned the parliament, while taking the Memogate scandal to the Supreme Court.

Pakistan has suffered a lot due to military dictatorship. Our military junta has never respected the constitution and each and every time martial law was imposed , our judiciary validated it. Our parliament is an elected institution of 180 million peolpe of Pakistan, but the military junta considers all Pakistanis as prisoners. And after 64 years of independence these 180 million appeal to the military junta to have mercy on Pakistan.

DR SAIF UR REHMANIslamabad