Pakistan’s Gangster Generals

Editor

Pakistan is rapidly sinking into a state from which it may not recover. At the root lies the bloody-minded attitude of the generals who act as goons. These semi-literate morons think they know what is best for Pakistan and how people should think. The people have made their sentiments absolutely clear by refusing to accept a gang of criminal politicians imposed upon them by the military, as well as the generals’ over-bearing attitude.

A criminal syndicate of rapists, murderers and thieves have been imposed on the country as rulers. The country is on the verge of economic collapse but instead of accepting the people’s demand to hold free and fair elections, they are going after the one person—Imran Khan—who may have a remote chance of getting the country out of this mess.

While putting the police and rangers in front to attack civilians, it is the small coterie of generals that are giving orders from behind the scenes. They not only dictate policy to the corrupt criminal politicians but also order the judges to deliver verdicts demanded by the generals. And they appear determined to physically eliminate Imran Khan because he has vowed to go after those people—generals, bureaucrats, politicians and judges—who have abused their powers to amass fortunes at the expense of the state and its people.

Since they are all so thoroughly corrupt, they do not want to allow Imran Khan to return to power which he will if free and fair elections are held. The people are overwhelmingly with the former prime minister whose ouster was engineered on April 9, 2022. Since then, Pakistan has been on a downward spiral into political and economic collapse.

The military’s reputation lies in mud. It wasn’t always the case although in the past, its image was carefully built on a false narrative. Muslims are easily enamoured by the image of a horse-riding general wielding a sword. Leading the Muslim army, he will liberate Muslim lands from the clutches of ‘infidel’ forces, it is assumed. Far from achieving any such feats, the Pakistani generals have demonstrably failed in their assigned responsibilities.

They have not liberated an inch of Muslim territory in Kashmir despite consuming more than 50% of the country’s budget. In every war against arch-rival India, the generals have given a poor account of themselves. They have not won a single war, notwithstanding the self-declared victories.

Unable to confront India, they have turned their guns on the hapless people of Pakistan. In the one year since Imran Khan’s ouster, Pakistan’s economy has been destroyed. Poverty has increased alarmingly because of skyrocketing prices. People are driven to commit suicide—even though this is haraam (forbidden) in Islam—because they cannot afford to feed their children.

And what do the greedy generals do? They live in palatial homes in heavily-fortified gated communities thinking of what else to steal from the country. Why are they so afraid of the people if they are supposed to be their defenders?

All the top generals have properties abroad. Their children have foreign citizenship and as soon as they retire from service, they flee abroad. In the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, retired generals and colonels have bought massive properties worth tens of millions of dollars. It is not rocket science to figure out that this is stolen wealth. Theft and plunder have been institutionalized into the system in Pakistan. That explains why the generals are so desperate to prevent Imran Khan’s return to power.

The generals show utter disdain for the constitution. True, it is not a perfect document but it cannot be dismissed as a “piece of paper”, as the generals have often said. If there is no common denominator upon which all can agree, how will the institutions of state function? It is clear that the military—or more accurately, the small coterie of army generals—have arrogated to themselves the power and authority to determine what is right and wrong. They decide who is to rule the country, not the people whom they dismiss as being illiterate and stupid.

If the people are illiterate—this is not quite true because the masses know what is best for them—their lack of education is the direct result of the military consuming so much of the country’s budget. It leaves little for such essential sectors as health and education.

The military’s involvement in politics—directly or indirectly—has stymied the natural development of institutions in Pakistan. That the country is in such bad shape is the direct result of the military’s involvement in every facet of life. These morons have to be challenged and banished from the political and economic arenas before they destroy Pakistan. It may already be too late.

It is time for the people of Pakistan to rise up against these gangsters. Unless they are given a dose of their own medicine, they will not see sense. Indian politicians and generals must be salivating at seeing Pakistani generals destroy the country. Delhi does not have to spend a rupee or fire a single shot to achieve their long-cherished goal: the destruction of Pakistan.

Flag raising ceremonies and military parades, however impressive, do not make a state. They are mere attempts to hide the ugly reality of total breakdown. The people have not only lost faith in state institutions but also respect for them.

The country’s economic condition has deteriorated so rapidly since last April when Imran Khan’s government was overthrown through a soft coup that it is on the verge of default. Traditional sources of foreign funding, mainly handouts from the IMF and friendly Arab countries have dried up. Pakistani exports and remittances from overseas Pakistanis have also declined, the latter because people have no faith in the criminals imposed as rulers by the military.

Imran Khan’s quest to force elections in the country, though admirable, is misplaced. Elections will not help bring about change even if he wins the desired two-third majority in parliament. The entire system is rotten and has to be demolished completely. This will not happen unless the powers-that-be are defanged. That is a tall order and will require huge sacrifices in life and blood.

There is no evidence to suggest that Imran Khan is prepared to take that route at present. Perhaps, he is not sure of his supporters’ commitment. Even within his own party and allied parties, there are people secretly in league with the army top brass and taking directions from them. Under these circumstances, how can fresh elections solve the country’s problems?

When there is a cancerous tumor in the body, it has to be excised to give the body a fighting chance to survive. If the tumor stays inside, it will spread and infect other organs of the body. This is what seems to be happening in Pakistan.

In order to bring about change in society, it is important to analyze the prevailing situation and determine what is wrong with it. Following that, a clear direction must be provided as to where the society needs to go. The ultimate goal and how to achieve it must also be clearly articulated. Then comes the stage of mobilization of the masses.

Looking at the situation in Pakistan, there appears to be much confusion in the minds of those promising to bring about change. It does not help to promise change yet insist on working with the very people and institutions that are impediments to change.

Physical revolution must be preceded by a revolution in thought. Without the intellectual revolution, all struggle ends up as futile pursuit. The chaos that engulfs Pakistan is the result of such muddled thinking.

What is the way forward? The Prophetic Seerah offers very important lessons. While all Pakistanis, and indeed Muslims everywhere, claim to love the Prophet (pbuh) and will even give their lives to defend his honour, they have not internalized the lessons of his life’s struggle.

He totally rejected the Jahili system in Makkah and refused to have anything to do with it. When he was offered a power-sharing arrangement, before he could respond, it was rejected from on high by Allah. He does not want His committed servants to mix Haqq with Batil. The struggle for justice will face many challenges but these will have to be faced and surmounted in order to reach the destiny ordained by Allah.

Pakistan