6 March 2017

Gen Bajwa’s Three Months at the Top Job

By Meenakshi Sood 

“Defense and security of Pakistan against external and internal threat will remain my ultimate objective as military chief” – Gen Bajwa

The transfer of power from one chief of army to another is usually an uneventful occasion, other than in Pakistan. Having experienced four military dictatorships and a dominating presence of the military in its polity, the country heaved a sigh of relief when Gen Raheel Sharif, despite speculation to the contrary, stepped down after the end of his tenure and made way for Gen Bajwa.Considered a ‘dark horse’ in the race, Gen Bajwa superseded four generals to become the 16th Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan. His pro-democracy views and low profile seemed to have tipped the balance in his favour. Three months into his tenure, he seems to be no different than his predecessors on major policy issues- be it relations with its neighbours - India and Afghanistan- or issues of internal security. The institutional interests of the military reign supreme, while individual idiosyncrasies allow for difference in style, not substance. 

Since taking office, Gen Bajwa made efforts to reach out to Afghan President Ghani who remains concerned about Pakistan’s support for the Taliban and its role in terrorist attacks within the country. After a series of blasts ripped through Afghanistan, killing over a hundred and injuring many more, he called President Ghani to condole the loss of lives and those injured. This was the third time he spoke to the president since taking charge. According to ISPR, he urged the President to end the blame game as it benefits only the common enemy- terrorists - and suggested strengthening border management mechanisms and intelligence cooperate[i]. In response, President Ghani told Bajwathat those responsible “lived, were recruited and operated freely in Pakistan and no action was taken against them”[ii]. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of supporting Pakistani Taliban, in connivance with India, while Afghanistan remains convinced of Pakistan’s selective approach to counter terrorism that benefits Afghan Taliban. The General’s suggestion of ‘border management’ was a subtle way of reiterating Pakistan’s stand on the Durand line and Afghanistan’s role in destabilizing Islamabad’s internal security. For over a decade Pakistan has been working towards putting in place border management mechanisms, including a fence, along its 2400km border with Afghanistan, which has become a bone of contention between the two countries. Islamabad believes that better border management will stem the flow of militants, refugees and illegal trade, including drugs, from across the border. More importantly, such measures would reinforce Pakistan’s position on the disputed Durand line, contested by successive Afghan governments.In May 2016, tensions at the border between Pakistan-Afghanistan escalated over fencing at the Torkham crossing[iii]. A month later, Pakistan completed construction of a 1,100 km trench in Balochistan along its border with Afghanistan[iv]. Things with its eastern neighbour aren’t any better either. There was hope, perhaps unfounded, that the new COAS would reset Pakistan’s acrimonious relations with India. The optimism was due to the positive remarks made by a former Army Chief of India under whom Gen Bajwa had served during a UN mission, as also the belief that the General saw militancy as a bigger threat than India. The statements made by him in his new capacity have belied all hope. In line with the army’s official stand on the issue, he rejected the Indian claim of having conducted ‘surgical strikes’ on Pakistan[v]. In his recent visit to the LOC, the General warned India against hampering its efforts to fight militancy. “On one hand, the ceasefire violations by Indian forces are an effort to divert world's attention from its atrocities against innocent Kashmiris, while on the other hand it is an attempt to dilute our response against terrorism and militancy”, the General was quoted as saying. Further, he said Pakistan was fully aware of Indian support to terrorism and that the Army was ready to defend the nation from ‘all forms of Indian aggression’[vi].

Pakistan’s relations with the new administration in the US are in its initial stages as, like much of the world, Pakistan is watching with caution the steps taken by the new dispensation while making guarded efforts to engage with it. In his first interaction with Trump’s defence secretary, Gen Bajwa assured Mattis that Pakistan was committed to countering ‘all militant groups’[vii]. The US has continually been embarrassed by its ally’s selective approach to countering terrorism. In a well-rehearsed dance, the US recognized the sacrifices made by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism, while Pakistan promised to do more. When in uniform, Mattis got to know Pakistan well as head of the US Central Command and during his many trips to the country. He was President Obama’s go-to man in engaging with Pakistani generals[viii]. Till now there is little to suggest a major change in US policy towards Pakistan as it is considered key in stabilizing Afghanistan and countering the spreading influence of ISIS in the region.

On the domestic front, he has adopted a more conciliatory approach. On civil-military relations, Bajwa is believed to be pro-democracy. In his first speech since assuming office, he told the men in uniform that ‘army has no business trying to run the government’[ix]. Apparently, he had even recommended the officers to read Army and Nation by Steven I. Wilkinson to learn from the success of Indian democracy.Calling for a ‘people-centric approach based on local ownership’ in Balochistan, a province that has been excluded from the gains of progress, he has generated hope for better relations with the provinces[x]. It is imperative for Pakistan to pacify its restive province to realize its multi-billion dollar project with China. Whether stylistic changes will translate into substantive transformation remains to be seen. He had made his priorities clear by calling threats from militants as the biggest threat confronting Pakistan. True to his word, Gen Bajwa has maintained a tough stand on militancy within the country. Soon after his appointment, he replaced officials at key posts with his hand-picked men. Among them, the most important was the appointment of Lt-Gen Naveed Mukhtar as the DG ISI and Lt-Gen Bilal Akbar as the chief of general staff[xi]. Both have experience in handling internal security and counterterrorism, reinforcing the belief that Gen Bajwa remains focused on the internal security situation. However, his premature announcement of the success of Zarb-e-Azb and other operations by the army in uprooting terrorism hasproved wrong. With a suicide bomb attack on peacefully protesting chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers in Lahore, explosions in the provincial capitals of Quetta and Peshawar, and the deadly suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in Sehwan in Sind, militants in Pakistan have shown their reach extents to the four provinces of Pakistan. Gen Bajwa has vowed revenge for ‘each drop of the nation’s blood’, promising that from now on there would be ‘no more restraint for anyone’[xii].

- See more at: http://www.claws.in/1709/gen-bajwas-three-months-at-the-top-job-meenakshi-sood.html#sthash.geMULvDE.dpuf

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