Financial autonomy, economic penetration and political power are interrelated and are part of a vicious cycle….At the institutional level, the military is also involved directly through its small and medium-sized enter-prises. ….. This kind of economic empire cannot be established, and money-making opportunities would not be available, without the political and organizational power of the armed forces.
— Military Inc.; Inside Pakistan”s Military Economy, Ayesha Siddiqa, Oxford University Press, 2007, Pp. 18-19
Here comes the news of mutilation of Indian soldiers on the LoC and the Government of Bharat, with immense goodwill and high expectations, is facing the emotional outbursts from the people. Many people, from commoners to experts, are also coming up with their well-intended suggestions. Opposition will play the role as usual. The Government has adopted the aggressive diplomatic posture and the Army also ‘will respond to Pakistan at time and place of our choosing’. The key aspect missing in this whole discussion is the character of Pakistan’s military and the efforts to damage the hegemony of the same.
There is already a lot of discussion on the timing of the ghastly incident. Nawaz Sharif on the one hand is fuelling the so-called ‘Kashmir cause’ to save himself from the corruption charges and protecting himself from the wrath of military and mulladom (Islamic Radicals). Being on the weak wicket, stimulating anti-Bharat sentiments is the best option available to any civilian Government in Pakistan as it is the existential reality of the nation. On the other hand, military in order to show its supremacy over the affairs is trying its best to provide a cover to infiltrators and when such bidding is foiled by the counterparts in Bharat, they are getting into inhuman acts of killings and mutilation. You can convince such mindset with proofs and dossiers.
The other side of the story is international. The visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and him taking stand on terrorism and Bharat’s bid for the permanent membership of the UN Security Council are certainly a shock for Pakistan. We surely need to anticipate and counter these tactics through intelligence, as many experts are suggesting.
Internationally, despite Chinese support and new alignment with Russia, Pakistan is under pressure and Pakistanis are ashamed to identify their nationality, clearly a success of Bharat’s diplomatic offensive of naming and shaming Pakistan as an ‘epicentre of terrorism’. What has not changed in this process is the hegemonic character of Pakistan’s military that is actually controlling the State.
The brutality of Pak military against their own people is well known, whether in Baluchistan or in Sindh. Nobody has ever questioned their track-record on human rights protection. More importantly, as strategic expert in Pakistan Ayesha Siddiqa pointed out, the crux of military establishment in Pakistan is ‘Milbus’ (Military-Business Complex), through which Armed forces have deeply entrenched control on society and polity. General Musharraf also proudly mentioned about these businesses while inaugurating a housing project for Army personnel.
As per the official disclosures by the Ministry of Defence 2004, about 50 such commercial projects allegedly made about Rs.134 million (US$2.3 million) in the financial year 2004-05, which is just a legal part. What they earn by the illegal and corrupt means, while sharing peanuts with the civilian officials and private enterprises is much more than this. The breeding ground for terrorism and this military-business complex feed on each other. Pakistan Armed forces promote counter terrorist outfits as per their business interests. Breaking this economic empire is the best way to weaken Pakistan.
For that to happen, Bharat needs to accept that it is essentially a war of Bharat and whether the US or the European countries or for that matter even the international agencies can just be helpful in furthering the cause of peace to a limited extent. Unless we take the pain of counter-terrorism strategy to the people who matter the most in terror promotion, the measures for countering terrorism will not be fruitful. Bharat, along with private players, neighbouring countries and wherever possible with big powers, should work out a strategy to break this long tangled network which has become a menace not only to Pakistan and Bharat but to the entire world.
@PrafullaKetkar
