Comparative mismatch

This refers to the article, ‘The army’s role’ (August 25) by Dr A Q Khan. The last paragraph of the article states, “If COAS Gen Raheel Sharif can help put this country onto the road of progress, we could become a Malaysia or Turkey, or even better, in five to seven years. Our former military dictators merely acted to perpetuate their own self-interests and power.”
The article mentions that our former military dictators were after self-interest and power and then goes on to suggest that the current military chief (not a dictator) should do something – which is not his role. The writer has compared the Peoples Liberation Army of China with the Pakistan Army. According to the 1973 Constitution, “The Armed Forces shall, under the directions of the Federal Government, defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so.” As comparison, the first clause of the mission statement of the PLA by the former CMC chairman Hu Jintao is given: “Consolidate the ruling status of the Communist Party.” New ideas should always be welcome because these are required for progress but we, as a nation, have had enough of dictators – mostly uniformed but also in civvies.
Mir Tabassum Mairaj
Islamabad