ISLAMABAD: Developments in recent weeks clearly suggest that Pakistan is seeing drastic changes with regard to decision making in foreign affairs policy matters as well as dealing with war against terrorism.
The military establishment, once calling the shots single handedly in past few decades, now seems subservient to the political elite of Pakistan as result of several debacles.
The standoff in past six months with the US due to blockage of supplies and halting some other activities, triggered strong criticism from US. Its real target was the army rather than government and there were no one to defend the army except the cosmetic stereotype reactionary statements by foreign office or by some government officials. For all practical purposes army had been in isolation rather in the eye of the storm in defending their strategy and now forced to accept the new terms of engagement after getting their dictated consent.
Defense of Pakistan Council-DPC, and alliance of more than a dozen religious parties put their entire weight behind the army but, despite applying some heavy pressure, it was unable to help the army to regain their control of the situation.
Gone are the days when establishment was main motivating force behind every decision but now being replaced by the political elite. It is a peaceful power game in the silent corridors of Islamabad that changed the entire chessboard.
Many of those who invested in the army as the only entity are feeling left alone in the middle of nowhere as dealing with the present time rulers is tactically difficult except by western coalition headed by their American masters.
Losses Pakistan suffered during a decade long war against militants and cooperation with Western coalition was mainly credited to armed forces as this impression was endorsed and established by the incidents, such as the Osama Bin Laden killing and matter of missing persons, that helped people to change their opinion with regard to putting responsibilities of these losses.
The departure of President Zardari to Chicago for a NATO summit is also symbolic in that it shows that political elite are, irrespective of how corrupt or incompetent they are, calling the shots now also in the domain which was never considered politicians’ ball game.
Even the opposition’s Nawaz Sharif and some powerful religious parties are not favoring to give army policy making role any more rather happy that Pakistani political fraternity would be having vast area to play once the army is out of the decision making arena.
Present army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, already on extension is largely hailed for his policy of non interference that helped army to restore its impression among the masses especially by retreating from different policy making fronts.
Credit goes to Gen. Kayani for taking the bitter pill of limiting the army into its constitutional role. That is why he also faced criticism from both inside and outside circles of those favoring the traditional role of army imposing its decisions in policy making.
Times have changed. The military establishment is history now and even foreign powers now put their entire weight behind political establishment.
Who calls the shots in Pakistan? Military or political establishment?
