IS PAKISTAN'S ARMY CHIEF WANT HIS JOB TO BE EXTENDED?

The controversy over Kerry-Lugar Bill in Pakistan, was the intention of the Army Chief of the Country in order to extend his job, revealed by Hamid Mir, a Pakistani journalist in his urdu article published in daily Jang London on 22 Oct. 2009 by quoting a US Journalist.

The irony was that a Country seeking economic assistance was bent on to impose their condition on the donors in spite of the fact that historically all the assistance that was obtained by military governments was more or less on the same conditions. The question, why this time, they were all of a sudden woke-up and raise the flag for honour and dignity first?  There are number of assumptions to understand Pakistani ruling junta are as follows:-

1)      This time there is a civilian government in office and they are more incline towards social spending and public welfare rather than military corruptions as they claim, in the name of civilian development.  In past all the assistants even for civilian was used for military purpose and this time there was a clear distinction and pre-conditions to safe guard the civilian assistance so that military wouldn’t be able to steal the money.

2)      To use it (assistance bill from US) as a slogan of honour and dignity to under mine the civilian government so that military could get its loosing-grip-back-on the  State and Society.  It is well know fact, in Pakistani historical context, that many law makers, are in the Parliament, just because they been the people among political class supported and promoted by military and ISI and they wanted them to be there.

3)      The 62 years of history of Pakistan, tells us that all the assistance whether in the shape of assistance or loan, never reach to the common  people, and mostly consume by Army establishment. There fore people do not trust any foreign assistance to have any positive impact on public life that could reduce poverty, improve investment and to increase job opportunities. For example one of Pakistani journalist Salim Safi, wrote in his article in daily Jang, “I have no interest in Kerry-Lugar Bill because the money would never beneficial to the common people and would go back to the western banks.  My village in FATA even today does not have radio signals”.    

4)  There is a lot of public out-cry for the money in the name of people, either given in the shape  of assistance or loans, had been unaccounted for. For example even the International assistance for earth quick victims, is not visible on ground or any evidence duly confirmed by the victims. The government is still struggling to cover it up from the world community. Further more, people are questioning the assistance given in the name of war-on-terror, is also gone missing.  Following is the reflections of Pakistani society appeared on Pakistani Press discussion forum:-

    quote: 

             " Dear all,

  I am from a middle class family, and always gave respect and honor to the Pakistan Army.             But facts and ground realities are not that which seems. I am agree, Politicians are not good, but prove that they are going to sell our motherland, they are not but the others. Please review, and rethink the roles of our institutions, which actually are the department not institution. Another thing about me, it depends on you, believe or not, I have no commitment with any political party, but with the constitution.

Regards, Syed Imran shafqat, Content Editor, Samaa tv,Lahore.   unquote.

Now it is revealed that all the fuss, was just for a job.