Govt unlikely to probe 2014 sit-in to save civil-military relations

ISLAMABAD: All those who matter in the PML-N government know how some “disgruntled elements” from the military establishment had tried to oust Nawaz Sharif from power using the PTI-PAT sit-ins in 2014. However, the regime still has been reluctant to get the matter probed to save the civil-military relations.

It is believed that an inquiry into the 2014 sit-in “conspiracy”, if ordered by Prime  Nawaz Sharif will lead to possible friction between the civil and military. Experiences relating to General ® Pervez Musharraf’s trial, have also contributed greatly to convince the decision makers in the PML-N government to ignore the matter for the sake of securing the system from destabilization.

Sources said that no one knows more than Prime Minister Nawaz about who did what during 2014 sit-in. However, he avoided not only discussing anything on the issue in public but also stayed away from probing the matter to avoid possible friction between civil and military.

The sources said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has shown extraordinary patience and kept many secrets close to his chest despite some convincing evidence. 

During late 2015, defence minister Khawaja Asif in a television show named former DG ISI General Zaheerul Islam for his alleged role in destabilising the Nawaz Sharif government during 2014 PAT-PTI sit-ins. Khawaja Asif had said that General Zaheer was behind the “London Plan” conspiracy against the government.

What was being discussed earlier in the closed door meetings of the rulers, was made public by the defence minister, who said that the 2014 London Plan against the Nawaz Sharif government was the collective work of two successive ISI Chiefs- Lt General ® Shuja Pasha and Lt Gen ® Zaheerul Islam.

The defence minister’s statement was not appreciated by some military quarters during those days owing to which he was asked not to talk on the issue anymore. Later another cabinet member Mushahid Ullah Khan had to resign when he told a foreign new agency that the intelligence bureau had the telephone recordings of General Zaheerul Islam proving his involvement in the conspiracy.

A retired Brigadier Samson Simon Sharaf in one of his writings for a national English daily endorsed, “In a discussion packed with tension, Prime Minister confronted General Raheel with supposedly hard evidence (collected by state of art snooping equipment) of his complicity. On immediate verification, it turned out to be a fabrication and intrigue of rouge elements with no connection to GHQ. The ultimate objective was to replace General Raheel with a chum to put an end to counter terrorism operations.”

Despite government’s conviction that the 2014 sit-in was a conspiracy against the prime minister and in spite of available “evidence” suggesting that certain elements crossed their limits in violation of law and constitution, none of those suspected have been questioned either by the civilian government or the military leadership.

Khawaja Asif in his TV interview had said that Gen Zaheer had a grudge against the government for its stance on Geo issue after the April 2014 attack on Hamid Mir. To settle his personal grudge, Khawaja added, Gen Zaheer hurt the national interest. Khawaja was of the view that the situation was handled well by the prime minister, who remained patient.

Following of late controversy generated by Javed Hashmi’s statement, there is growing demand for holding an inquiry into the 2014 sit-in. However, it is highly unlikely that the government would still opt for a probe despite recent change of military command.

According to sources although initiation of any inquiry into the matter was then avoided, cold shoulder was given to one of the major alleged player of 2014 because he had become controversial. The said “player”, these sources said, was anxious to get any of the key post-retirement jobs, which fall under the military domain. However, he was not offered any job.