Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa VS Gen. Raheel Sharif
Dr. Jassim Taqui
When Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa took over as COAS, he met the top military leaders in the GHQ to inform them of his 3-points priority. It is First Improving ties with India to contain the ongoing localized war on the LoC; Second Improving ties with Afghanistan, and Third to ensure the internal unity and stability by ending the involvement of the army in the power struggle with the civilian government.
Apparently, the “old guards” did not take him seriously and resumed the erstwhile policy. Less than two weeks from assuming the leadership of the army, the former CGS Gen. Aimer Riyaz, former ISI chief Gen. Rizwan Akhtar and former ISPR chief Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa leaked the so-called Shakespeare’s Letter and the PM Document in violation of the standing instructions of the army chief.
Acting swiftly, Gen. Bajwa sent the three aforementioned generals packing in a wide-scale reshuffle of the top military leaders. Gen. Bajwa changed all corps commanders. None of the top leaders were pleased except Gen. Naveed Mukhtar who was rewarded with the coveted post of the ISI chief.
The greatest surprise, however, was the appointment of the Karachi Rangers’ chief Major General Bilal Akbar , following his promotion to the rank of Lt. Gen, the new CGS chief. None could anticipate Bilal Akbar as CGS even in his/her wild imagination. It is simple. He was junior. He was never a candidate for any higher post.
Now, Gen. Akbar is in charge of all corps commanders, ISI, MI, and ISPR.
Ostensibly, Gen. Bajwa has given an unambiguous message that all military leaders including ISI are firmly under the COAS. A new era has come whereby the ISI is brought under the control and the accountability of the COAS. It was a master stroke by Gen. Bajwa, which can be said a counter-coup against the old guards and Centers of Power in the GHQ.
Gen. Raheel Sharif remains to be a regional and global hero due to his war against terror. However, he lacked in the leadership of the army by succumbing to the pressure of a corrupt regime. He failed to press the regime to permit the army to initiate Karachi-like cleanup operations in Punjab and Sindh. He virtually committed suicide by not pressing the accountability of the Sharif family’s involvement in massive corruption and dirty money laundering despite the fact that PTI lawyers team submitted irrefutable documentary evidence to prove the same. He compromised the army’s integrity by not pressing the accountability of those involved in the Dawn Leaks.
He failed to see the solid fact that corruption and dirty money laundering are directly linked to the national security of the country. Had he taken a personal risk to complete the above-mentioned objectives, his name would have been compared only with the name of the Father of the Nation Quad-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Indeed, he missed the chance. With his role in confirming corruption as a norm, the Pak Army might face a situation where he does not have a country to defend. Remember India has proclaimed on 13th December 2016 that it would divide Pakistan into 10 pieces.
Finally, Gen Raheel Sharif made a blunder on his last day as COAS. On 28th November 2016, he held a meeting in the GHQ, inviting the new COAS-select chief Gen. Bajwa and appointed Gen. Amer Riaz as COAS in place of Gen. Zubair Hayat who was elevated to the post of the Chief of Joint Chief of Staff Committee. It was an unprofessional move aimed at imposing the new CGS on Gen. Bajwa, who respected the decision of his chief in his last day as COAS. However, two weeks later, he dismissed the CGS and appointed Gen.Bilal Akbar as his CGS along with a new team and a new hope.
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