‘When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.’ Thomas Jefferson.

This paper is likely to be monitored and the small minds reading it would immediately see conspiracy in it, ignoring the concern that people such as us feel for the country – making such a sentiment exclusive and limited to their person alone. This paper will not be well received more for the truth it holds than the analysis it projects.

Nevertheless, what I am about to write is purely based on national interest, as I see in my own limited capacity; though it is often said that ‘Patriotism is the last refuge of a rascal’ and whatever steps we endeavour to undertake, we smugly attribute it towards our sense of patriotism, allowing us license to do our worst. On the other hand, this is not a good moment for retired generals to spew their wisdom – it will be least welcome by any measure in the State of Pakistan today – not for who we are but what we are perceived to represent!!!

Today the country is going through its worst moments. Our foreign Policy is in flux and one does not know where we stand – and at this juncture, where Pakistan actually has a opportunities and choices, we are confused and ambiguous in our standings and commitments. Is it China or the USA or even both? There are major accents in a geo-economic world of B3W (Build Back Better) and the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), which is the one that suits us? Yet it is not necessary to partner with only one at the exclusion of the other. Maybe a policy is in motion but we the people do not see it nor is it public which then makes it highly suspicious, secretive and open-ended. Our position viz. a viz. Afghanistan, Iran and India, specially IWT is not clear. National posture is stated by slogans that are contradicted by inaction or U-turns.

Our domestic policies are plagues by scandals, wheat, sugar, cooking oil, cotton, rice and energy. Corruption and malpractices are the order of the day exceeded only by the indifference shown in the face of this highway robbery. Businesses are fleeing, just as people are migrating and leaving the country. The economy is broken, inflation at an all-time high and rising, debt in an uncontrolled spiral as a government borrows to serve its own material interests alone. Provinces are up in arms as the Federal Government politicises events at the cost of Provincial Governments while Provincial Governments use the situation to bargain with the Federal Government for personal concessions and privileges. The justice system has already collapsed and the police totally a compromised force eager to do the government’s dirty work.

In this process the Army is considered to be the main mover and shaker, calling the shots, deciding the fate of the nation and establishing the direction the nation needs to take. With such unprecedented, unfettered absolute power, it is only natural, that the Army is squarely blamed for all that is going wrong. For the Army to deny its involvement in the affairs of the State and the wrong that is being perpetuated by its involvement and support to the most unpopular government of all times, is just like the ‘Lady, enjoying the attention, but who dost protests too much’.

It is natural for people such as I to feel pained with the stress and rigours that the Army is going through since I have been affiliated with the institution for so many years. I understand that those past associations no longer carry any weight, my experiences matter very little and my presence is now unwelcome. Yet the Army, leaving aside my own status – the rank and file, deserve better and that can easily be arrived at if one were to only listen to common sense but that in itself is a separate subject. However, the hurt and grievance that this country is suffering from on a daily basis is a wider and much more complex issue.

It is usually argued that is how it has always been but I cannot agree with it and will not draw inferences from Gen Ayub’s, Zia’s, Yahya’s or Musharaf’s times since each had an obtaining environment which in a way explains the situation then and partially justifies the actions they took, which is not the case now. Nevertheless, whatever they did, it was never as devoid of national interests as it is now, nor as focused, on personal interest as much as it is today – making the nation a hostage to the whims of a few and individual preferences of some, at the cost of the country.

We have now arrived at a point in this nation’s history which has had no parallel. I feel that the movers and shakers, the decision makers and the powers-that-be, are either not aware of the situation as it stands in the country and are living in a fool’s paradise based on motivated briefings, manipulated accounts and created perceptions; or then if not this, they are deliberately taking the country down the garden path on account of........

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