PAKISTAN HEADING TOWARDS ANOTHER MILITARY COUP?

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

American Military draw down in 2014 from Afghanistan is getting closer and Indian Western borders are hitting up. Last few months has seen a spurt in Indian casualties, both armed men and civilians with persistent violations of cease fire from Pakistani side. At one time Pakistani rangers are targeting over 50 Indian borders posts in Jammu & Kashmir; which can’t be considered an isolated incident. As Pakistan Prime Minister just before his American tour pleaded for American intervention on Kashmir issue. It was same Nawaj Sharif who publicly claimed to pursue the peace process with India during elections and also took the position that Pakistan Prime Minister would remain the boss (final arbiter) of Pakistan and not the Army Chief. However, just before his swearing in ceremony as Pakistan PM; Pakistan Army Chief Mr. Kayani met him and subsequently Nawaj Sarif had a climb down from his high horses and never repeated his formulations on India or Pak Army. What went wrong? What transpired between a reticent army chief and PM designate? Apparently, army chief would have put the PM in the making under notice on India and Pak Army/ISI. The recent desperation of Pak PM on Kashmir and his visit to America was an exercise to buy insurance from US President against its own army. Pakistan army is quietly planning to take over the country, once Americans pull out of Afghanistan to install a Taliban regime in Afghanistan with tacit American blessings. Therefore, Pak Army now deliberately wish to engage its political establishment in fire fighting in its eastern borders with India in order to dump it as and when it suits their strategy. History of over sixty years is replete with example of Army Coup in Pakistan that precedes a war or skirmishes with India. Will this be different this time? Only, time would tell.

However, Pakistan PM has been gullible enough to play into the designs of his own army and preparing the highway for his own exile from the country. Alternatively, Nawaj Sarif could do one thing; instead of dividing the country in four parts; he could divide the Pakistan Army in four geographical divisions with a full flezed General as Chief of Staff under nominal operational control of Pak Army Chief and guided by Pak PMO; while designing a suitable matrix organization for dual control over defense forces and with superiority of civilian Pakistani political leadership. And, at the same time it can deploy the army with full responsibility to tame the Jihadi elements inside Pakistan to weaken both to assert the political superiority.Nawaj Sarif should also use his political acumen to get all  the political parties in Parliament behind him to make Pak Army less Political and more professional; which should in the supreme interest Pakistani people. Last, but not the least, Pak PM should choose the next chief justice of Pak Supreme Court very wisely.