Pakistan’s mainstream media is studiously ignoring the seismic change afoot on the country’s political landscape, but the emerging order of things will not be wished away.
By Ahmer Kureishi
In Pakistan’s tortuous struggle for civilian supremacy, the needle moved earlier this month for the first time since October 27, 2022 – the day of the military’s first public admission that it had been meddling in politics in the past, and its first public and official avowal to stay out of politics in the future. Ironically enough, though, or perhaps unironically, the fresh moving of the needle also came through a high-profile military presser.
Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s presser of May 7 came ahead of the first anniversary of the May 9, 2023 insurrection – widely seen as a failed attempt at fomenting a mutiny within the armed forces of Pakistan. It has since become clear that the attempt had takers within the military, judiciary, and civilian bureaucracy of the country – besides of course political and business circles. Seen in its proper light, Gen Chaudhry’s presser was a clarion call to bring the perpetrators of that nefarious plot to justice. That, however, is not the moving of the needle alluded to above.
Quick on the heels of Gen Chaudhry’s call came the government’s move to turn May 9 into a sombre commemoration of the failed insurrection, with leaders of ruling political parties holding events and issuing statements about the hideous events of this day last year. But this, too, is not the moving of the needle alluded to above.
The military’s call to hold former generals accountable
What moved the needle in real terms was Gen Chaudhry’s call to hold the puppeteers of the 2014 sit-in to account – the first unambiguous sign that the Pakistani military under Gen. Asim Munir is open to throwing the book at its own past brass for their political misdeeds. After all, it is an open secret that the 2014 sit-in was orchestrated by none other than the then military brass to topple the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
This is a stark departure from the military’s age-old tradition of ensuring ironclad impunity for its past leaders irrespective of how dark their deeds may be. This cannot fail to have wide ranging repercussions for the polity and in particular for rule of law in the country, not least because selective application of law can never deliver the goods. The military’s new position has cleared the way for the uniform application of law across the board. While the change may have a salutary effect for civilian supremacy and rule of law in the medium to long term, it is almost certain to rock the boat in the short run.
Interestingly, though, the mainstream media has chosen to scrupulously ignore Gen. Sharif’s call. Is it because all media houses and name-brand anchors were in cahoots with the generals fomenting trouble for the elected government? Who knows. On the other hand, while the 2014 sit-in failed to force PM Sharif to resign, its architects and their accomplices succeeded in ousting him from power in 2017 – with generous help from the country’s top judges, media houses, and television anchors.
It’s military vs. the gravy train
Ever since the parliamentary vote of no confidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Pakistan has been under a sustained, military-grade psyops attack. In terms of public perception, it has been one intrigue after another, and the May 9 insurrection was just a way point of this journey. Thanks to the selective reportage and facile commentary provided by the mainstream media, the public opinion still holds Imran Khan solely responsible for the unrest. Some pockets of opinion go as far as to point fingers at Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town fame, but that is about it. There is little realisation that the attack is coming from the military’s gravy train, of which both Khan and Hussain are part (and lightning rods).
But why would the military’s train go after the military itself? The military’s gravy train includes fat cat former generals who sit on the boards and committees of military-owned businesses; elite real estate developers; a small constellation of media assets and government contractors – in short a who’s who of those who make quick and easy buck hand-in-glove with political generals.
These hi-octane executives and tycoons are bonapartists of necessity: The military’s dominance of national life is literally their bread and butter. Small wonder the gravy train is intent on staring down the GHQ over the question of civilian supremacy, because the path Gen. Asim Munir has charted for the military is their undoing.
Take for instance Malik Riaz Hussain’s GBP 190 million brush with the law in Britain. The transaction is in and by itself an admission of guilt, albeit in a foreign jurisdiction. At the very least, the episode warrants a high-powered enquiry in Pakistan to figure out the circumstances leading to the mix up. Hussain, on the other hand, would like the matter to be forgotten as settled by Khan. As it happens, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa has ordered the money to be repatriated to the government and Nawaz Sharif has communicated to Hussain he cannot accommodate him. Malik Riaz has to fight back, for his sheer survival.
Who is afraid of Gen. Asim Munir?
While sleazy merchants and contractors are dime a dozen in Pakistan, Malik Riaz Hussain is in a league of his own. He proclaims his corrupt dealings from the rooftops and glories in how good he is at getting things done through corruption precisely because he has made himself untouchable. He offers retired generals and former judges lucrative jobs.
Said employees, in turn, take his influence deep into their respective institutions, bestowing on him the ability to seamlessly integrate strong arm tactics into his business with complete impunity. He is known to make lavish gifts to politicians and media people, and his tentacles extend into every branch of the government.
As would be expected, Malik Riaz’s ill-gotten fortune is a rabbit hole linked with every other shady burrow in the field. Any investigation into his affairs will inevitably incriminate many, many others along with him, and given enough scrutiny, his fall may well be the fall of the occupants of all those burrows. The upshot is that a GHQ focused solely on military affairs instead of lording over the nation is anathema to these people.
Who was Malik Riaz threatening anyway?
An audio recording of a purported message from Malik Riaz Hussain hit the media recently, in which he is heard boasting that he knows too much, and threatening that he would spill the beans if pressed too hard.
Although the so-called property tycoon seemed to distance himself from the message a day or two after it became public via a social media post, it is not lost on anyone that the “leak” came through Javed Chsaudhry, a known ghostwriter, publicist, and confidante of Hussain. Did Hussain realise too late he had said too much? In his eagerness to amplify his threat, or perhaps it was just a Freudian slip, he spoke of things he has been “involved in”.
In any case, the message was largely interpreted as being targeted at the country’s military and political leadership. However, because it speaks of his involvement and knowledge, it could as easily be targeted at his accomplices in various criminal enterprises and the beneficiaries of his underhanded largesse. Was he trying to goad him into action to keep his bubble of impunity intact, or else? And true enough, a cacophony of voices has chimed in in his defence as if on cue, even though the laundry list of his misadventures is virtually endless, and several investigations are closing in on him.
End of impunity is the only way forward
It seems the military’s gravy train sensed the needle moving even before May 7, given their tentacles extend deep into every institution of the country. This is why Imran Khan and his partisans, including some in the judiciary, have raised their vocal animosity towards Gen. Asim Munir and his key lieutenants to a fever pitch. Their other target is Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is under an equally intense attack.
But if they hope to get the military to change course, their hopes are unlikely to prosper because the military brass has realised that their institution cannot maintain its unity of command while playing politics or running realty scams in cahoots with the likes of Malik Riaz Hussain. Political proteges and sleazy contractors inevitably take advantage of their proximity to the institution by exerting unhealthy pulls on the rank and file of the institution, diluting its command structure.
Fortunately for the nation, Nawaz Sharif has decided to staunchly back the military leadership determined to stay out of politics. Incidentally, Sharif is already convinced the nation cannot move forward unless the conspirators of 2014 and 2017 are brought to the book. The stars are aligning for the end of impunity for the likes of Gen Zaheer ul Islam and Malik Riaz Hussain. The government and people of Pakistan would do well to buckle up for a time of turbulence before things improve.
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