ISLAMABAD: Perhaps it is wise to adopt the policy of “forget and forgive” as far as the 2014 “London Plan” is concerned. However, it would be disastrous if nothing is done to secure the future from what we have been repeatedly experiencing in the past only to the disadvantage of Pakistan, its people and the institutions. Without any comment on the veracity or otherwise of what Senator Mushahidullah told BBC, there is no doubt that the statement was unwarranted and ill-timed. It was least expected from a federal minister, and was thus bound to create misunderstandings between the civilian and military leadership. The prime minister did well initially by promptly issuing a strong rebuttal to his minister’s statement and later by asking Mushahidullah to quit the cabinet slot. It was though all started by a statement of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif a few weeks back, what Mushahidullah said was far more serious than Khawaja’s utterance. This timely action from the government appears to have left little space for some Machiavellian minds in the media and politics to fuel the fire and create rift between the civilian government and the military establishment. What happened in 2014 and who did what and how, is known to those who matter both in the civil and the military. What is, however, important that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif have been closely interacting and never lost trust in each other and thus succeeded in establishing a rare working relationship that is now producing miracles for Pakistan. Peace in Karachi is no less than a dream coming true. Bringing Balochistan back on the fast track of normalcy and patriotism is unbelievable. Results of the counter terrorism efforts are enormous. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor attainment is simply marvellous. The country’s economy is showing great signs of improvement. All these “impossible” become possible squarely because of the unison of the political and the military leadership. This is precisely what Pakistan badly requires to secure the recent successes for durable peace and also for the great future of Pakistan. In principle, those doing wrong should be held accountable. But in our situation, it can’t happen in every case. Therefore, it is better to forget who did what in 2014 for the sake of the present civil-military relationship. In this case the policy of “forget and forgive” is critically important for the government not to save the skin of any ex-general but in the best national interest for which government-Army harmony is pivotal. The same harmony and understanding between Nawaz Sharif and Raheel Sharif could help devise a mechanism of check and balance on the entire intelligence network of the country. It would help secure our future from past like “misadventures” of selected few.
