We have 2 armies. The Brigs and below, and the Maj Gens and above. We lose our best, the rebellious in spirit, as Majs and Lt Cols.
Our most professional, who do not want to part with their integrity are lost as Brigs. The weakest rise to the top.
That is why the Gens have always failed us. The present mess is a failure greater than 1971. That was sheer incompetence.
Today is the result of thinking small, lack of patriotism and commitment to higher ideals, and utter lack of clarity, with a smell of money.
By 2018 Pakistan was bankrupt for all practical purposes. We had debts without the ability to repay them.
The army could not have taken the field for even a week. The army fancies itself as minders of our national security.
This was the worst situation our national security has ever faced.
This was brought about directly because of theft of the national treasury.
The army should have included mega corruption among the prime national security imperatives.
Parallel to this they should have had ONLY a one- point agenda i.e to bring the dacoits and crooks to the book.
Only this would have reinstated the rule of law. Without this there was no way the country could be turned around.
But instead of this, the high command preferred to micromanage petty politics. The reasons for this could be either of the following.
- The Gens did not want a precedence for punishing corruption, because increasingly they are steeped in corruption themselves.
- The West wanted the Zardaris and the Sharifs to be preserved, so that they could be brought back into power when needed.
The result is the present mess.
The consequences of this will be catastrophic, which are beyond prediction. In 71 the high command lost us one half the the country. In 2022 they have laid the groundwork for the loss of what is left.
The bottom half of the Army, the only part which delivers the goods, will be left as helpless onlookers as the ship sinks.