Bonhomie between PM, COAS augurs well for the country

ISLAMABAD: The Nawaz Sharif government is regularly responding to any negative talk about the Pakistan army, sponsored by any circle, mainly Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, by expressing complete confidence in Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, the force he leads, and other security forces.
Like before, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is in the forefront in not only defending, and rightly so, but also praising the professionalism of the army chief and the prestige the general has brought to the military during his incumbency.
“General Raheel Sharif has the confidence of the government, the armed forces and the entire nation,” the interior minister said. “Speaking against the army is harmful to Pakistan and the military.”
Chaudhry Nisar rebutted a claim made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Brig (R) Samson Simon in a TV interview that some military generals including the then
chief spymaster, Zaheerul Islam, wanted to intervene after getting Raheel Sharif sacked by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by provoking the latter against the army chief during the 2014 sit-ins. “It is not possible for a few military officers to unseat the army chief,” the interior minister said.
The government’s well-considered policy of being on the same wavelength with the army and to keep its relations with the top commander totally smooth on key national issues is something absolutely disagreeable for the elements that nurse the wishful thinking of driving a wedge between the civilian and military authorities.
Not only some important members of his team but the prime minister has also frequently acclaimed the services being rendered by the armed forces in the war against terrorists in the tribal areas and elsewhere in Pakistan, and the Sindh Rangers for its role in the targeted operation against kidnappers for ransom, extortionists, target killers and mafias.
“Everybody must realise that a peaceful Karachi that we have now is only because of the Rangers’ operation, which is backed by all the civil and military players,” a cabinet member told The News. “Anything adverse aired about the paramilitary force or others, which are part of the ongoing campaign, will weaken the drive and send a wrong message to them.”
Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif and Information Minister Pervez Rashid have also been making their own contributions in giving a lie to the propaganda against the armed forces. However, some key members of the cabinet openly spoke ill of the political role of the two former spymasters, Zaheerul Islam and Ahmed Shuja Pasha, in organising the sit-ins and aggrandisement of the PTI.
Not only the government but people at large also favourably view the commendable role the security forces are playing under the command of General Raheel Sharif in nailing terrorists and criminals in the tribal belt and Karachi. At the same time, all political parties barring the MQM praise the armed forces on this count.
There is total unanimity of resolve in the civil and military leaderships to continue the campaign till its logical conclusion. A remarkable similarity has also been noticed in the statements of the prime minister and the army chief on the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both have stated that come what may the mega game-changer would be completed under all circumstances and all conspiracies against it would be frustrated.
Unlike his previous two stints, Nawaz Sharif is a changed prime minister this time, having excellent relations with the army chief. He has a rare unison and harmony with General Raheel Sharif on all issues. Never before in Pakistan’s history have there been so many consultative meetings between the two top leaders as the incumbents have held, a practice that continued even during the sit-ins. This has helped keep any misunderstandings and mistrust away. Obviously, this has continuously caused chagrin and exasperation among the anti-democracy elements, which never tire of trying to fuel controversies with the objective of marring the civil-military relations.
Even during the height of instability brought about by the sit-in last year, at no point did the government show a minor lack of trust in Raheel Sharif. Its senior leaders always stated in background discussions that the army chief was staunchly against the political mayhem spread by some ambitious members of the establishment, and wants an end to it sooner than later.