(This article was penned two years ago therefore some observations might appear late in
time.However the essence of the write up remains valid.For good reasons newspapers were
reluctant to publish)

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Gen Qamar Javaid Bajwa’s tumultuous six years’ tenure came to an end on 29 November 22
in a loud uproar among his friends and foes alike. His political and personal indiscretions pushed
more and more friends, military clansmen and bystanders across the fence such that it became
a huge and unmanageable mob shouting all sorts of abuse and calling every other derisive
name in the street vocabulary at the top of their voice ,particularly after recent disclosures
about his own and family’s alleged whopping wealth. One saw for the second time after Kargil
misadventure the veritable ISPR tumble over and over again trying to put a sensible wrap on or
simply a twist to what he said here and there or was perceived to have done, and came out
more red faced than before. This essentially futile public relationing has tended to not only
badly dent the Army’s good name but also made ISPR look so basic.

What a culmination of a coveted career and what an unenviable farewell indeed. One is
forced to draw a comparison in remaining public esteem between Gen Bajwa with late Gen
Yahya Khan albeit a shade less this time. Nevertheless it is nearly as catastrophic in many ways,
more so at just the moment when our political leadership is in utter disarray, hide bound and
busy stashing away their loot in their saddle bags, country is about to default , administration is
dysfunctional and judiciary paralyzed by choice and compulsion both. On top of this massive
chaos we have notorious fugitive convicts, dynastic money launderers and absconders from
law landing back as born again saints, national saviors legally white washed and politically
sterilized to plunder again at will and convenience. This great disservice too, to the people of
Pakistan has been laid at Gen Bajwa’s door, as the common perception goes. His injudicious
remarks made during variuos addresses like “ for me they (Sharifs) have not been convicted…”
of alleged thievery, and “ Economy and not corruption is the issue” produced highly dislikeable
vibes coming from one of the most influential seats of power. These remarks acquired a
definite form and came to haunt him when the brazen vote of no confidence against PTI govt
went through with all the horse trading, wink and nod and indecent machinations largely
traced back to him. Also his corruption-is-immaterial dictum was formally pasted on his own
door after the disclosure of Bajwa family’s alleged wealth beyond means and his unfortunate

but quite thoughtless Sharifs and Justice Qazi Issa like law mocking remarks. Not a very decent
citation at any rate.

A bit of chronological review is in order here.The toxic corrosion began with the grant of
extension to and acceptance by General Bajwa ,by Imran Khan in the first place; a lesson which
IK must have learnt to his bitter disappointment. For General Bajwa that was the end of an
incomparable dignity alongwith the loss of moral high ground and a severely compromised
position beholden to the PM’s largess from then on. His ambition must have been satiated but
his ego could not come to terms with this reversal of roles; that conflict seeded future
differences.GHQ by then was already under fire for their perceived role in 2018 general
elections by both camps. By the opposition to have maneuvered PTI into power and by PTI,
albeit tongue in cheek, for having manipulated to deprive them of a convincing majority in NA
with a view to keep them from running away with the gilded coach, which is not an altogether
empty talk.

That Machiavellian maneuver paid well in 2022 to unseat irksome PTI from power
through an engineered vote of no confidence sponsored by the US and executed by our local
proxies, him implicated and later labeled as the master mind. This notion is being equally
promoted by his earstwhile political friends in PDM ,now the Coalition in power.
While novice PTI administration, leadership and cabinet were learning how to ride the
power chariot, Gen Bajwa apparently with a skilful mix of the advocacy of the best interest of
the country ,intelligent hint dropping,outflanking power maneuvers and simultaneous
pampering by visiting foreign dignitaries and ambassadors slowly became the real fulcrum of
power in the country.US looked on approvingly. A flury of foreign dignitaries normally calling on
the PM made it a point to look him up too, some brazenly COAS first. ISPR ensured wide
publicity of such visits. He was seen flying off to ME, Europe and US for missions which were
purely the province of the civil leadership like loans, fuel on deferred payment ,IMF and FATF
etc. This too was well covered by the lapping media not knowing what will befall them in
2022.Shrunken media acted like a cheeky puppy taking little bites at the legs of the plough
horse till it kicked them in the teeth.

More than two years passed in this bumpy wedlock between the GHQ and PTI with
declarations of being on the same page ad nauseam and enough to tell the growing vedge.By
2021 opposition(PDM) was becoming unusually bold and aggressive and in that Maulana Fazlur
Rehman(JUI) was pronounced in bad-mouthing PTI and GHQ alike and quite openly.There was
an unusual silence dubbed as ‘strategic silence’ by the ISPR against the Maulana’ s repeated
insinuations increasingly by name ,simultaneously quite undiplomatically by Maryam Nawaz
and lesser Muslim League footmen against the Army High Command in their public
rallies.GHQ’s quiet was unsettling ,inexplicable and demoralizing for the rank and file.Of all the
people Maulana has always eaten from the GHQ hand and was bosom pals with ISI ,his activism against the same was quite puzzling. Significantly in early 2021 he had claimed in one of his
addresses that GHQ was no more backing PTI administration.

This riddle was to unveil itself after March 2022 and was confirmed by General Bajwa in his farewell address on 23 November 2022 that GHQ had decided in February2021 to become ‘neutral’.That was a faux pa of a different kind by itself.Connotation of being ‘neutral’ we will discuss subsequently.
How did Maulana know GHQ’s latest vow ? It can be safely deduced that he might have been
taken into confidence and that his bad mouthing was possibly a ruse.But what a dimwit
maneuver it was which terribly eroded the prestige of the Army in popular esteem and
demoralized its rank and file just because apparently the Chief was actively looking at the self
perpetuation after the end of his second tenure or perhaps much more.

This was perhaps the first ever time that an Army Chief put the entire family silver of the Army at stake for self perpetuation which eventually did not materialize despite a series of poor compromises, power
manipulations , oblique pointers , bland political maneuvers and even reportedly direct
requests. He seems to have topped it with unbelievably insulated but untenable distancing
from critics’ arrests, police cases, awful physical torture and hounding of journalists and PTI
politicians who criticized him and his policies directly or indirectly.He completely failed to
realize that the thin screen of govt colleagues he was banking upon will melt the moment he
steps down.That is exactly what has happened. His alleged financial empire was unveiled a few
days before the retirement, and that more than 16 FIRs against late but viciously hounded
Arshad Sharif were disowned and said were registered without govt permission, directly
implying GHQ/ISI involvement on his behest as the murdered journalist was his strongest critic.

Now that Supreme Court has taken a suo moto notice of Arshad Sharif’s assassination and
the case of gun attack on Imran Khan in Wazirabad is also unwinding such that fingers are
directly being pointed at ISI complicity, again on his behalf.Things might become uglier and
increasingly indefensible for him.COAS’s appointment is an inseparable mix of politico military
amalgam therefore GHQ has a tradition of not picking up cudgels for a retired Chief which was
studiously followed in recent times conspicuously in the case of General® Kiyani.Upshot of Gen
Bajwa’s courtship with ruling politicians is that when one partners with crooks, killers and cut
throats ignominy is the dividend .Grace and credibility are the foremost casualties. Like the
blacksmith for the dirty work of the like one has to wear soiled leather aprons of ugliness
shedding the silks and chiffons of respectability and honor.

His depredations on the national outfield have been quite damaging but the internal hemorrhage
that General Bajwa caused to the Army has been unthinkable . To begin with his command footprint has been that of nonchalance and cavalier and quite crass at times.He uncovered himself during Margalla Security Seminar22 when he spoke blandly contradicting political leadership on their policy shift in relations with Russia and the US.That was an audacious departure from the Service protocol and state practice .It was a deliberate declaration which stunned the listeners , he was speaking from a formal written script. The affront was willful and by design.In his calculations apparently PTI government had already outrun its course.Once again he badly misjudged Ik’s tenacity and popular support that he would enjoy once ditched. That was to be to his deep regret eventually ,just as it is turning out eversince IK’s removal. In the process the Coalition he helped to prop up is busy working against the Federation itself, a treasonable act at the least.

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In Pakistan Army’s history General® Bajwa must be just about the only COAS who stepped
aside from being the benevolent custodian and grand patriarch of this vast and glorious family
of military men and became a strangely spiteful Chief. When he crossed customary military lines
and was found trampling over invaluable Army traditions things began to be pointed out
,naturally, by the retired senior officers being the natural curators of the Army customs of
service gallery followed by the mid and junior level retired officers. The crescendo rose to
apparently unbearable pitch.Instead of seeking their advice and correcting course he took to
painful punitive action against them at an unprecedented scale.In that he might like to tell one
day what military or national interest did he serve by unilateral stoppage of pensions,denial of
medical and Mess facilities,ban on sale of GHQ provided assets and by placing hundreds of
retired and serving officers on watch list among them quite a few highly respected officers and
their families. It shattered the centuries old but irreplaceable bond of mutual trust and military
comradeship.

It was under his benign watch that retired officers were abandoned for the Coalition wolves
to barge into their bedrooms, mistreat and jail in certain cases.He dug the pit even deeper and
threatened serving officers of consequences if their retired or civilian parents and close
relations were found maligning him or supporting PTI or carrying its flag.Retired
officers’activism in good faith was painted as ‘ anti army stance’ and their forum was officially
disowned by Ministry of Defence.He even began to act imperiously and offered the concession
to retirees to accept back in the ‘fold’ if they abstain from criticizing him.

He must tell us why he utterly destroyed with such determination the centuries old tradition
of respect and comradeship between the serving and the retired officers?Why did he denude
the Army of the invaluable support and great advocacy of a large number of retired officers
who proliferate our civil society?.The result is a dreadful schism and alienation from our vast
and vibrant populace.An army suffering dwindling popular support is a very lonely force when
the chips are down;our experience in East Pakistan during 71 war is an objective lesson to this end. But then sadly most of us like to think what happened in East Pakistan then did not
happen.

Consequences of General ®Bajwa’s civil and military indiscretions have been quite
devastating. Loss of moral high ground , army’s hard earned stature and painstakingly built
narrative began to tell and a palpable disgruntled command environment began to form in the
garrisons.Serving rank and file began to feel short of a higher locus standi in public discourse.

Quite a few officers and men started adopting fake IDs on social media to air their
disappointment and grievances or possibly briefing army critical elements. Foreign agents,
hostile groups and vested interests penetrated this abandoned space as sympathizers and
expanded anti command propaganda. They are no more difficult to detect.A glaring case is that
of Haider Mehdi, an officer who resigned his commission early and seems to have a deep
personal grouse against Pakistan Army and its command. He has been quite distractive and
gross in his write ups since years but found little followers. Yet with in last couple of years his
writings began to be eagerly lapped up by a large number of serving and retired officers
despite warnings that he had a perverse agenda. He seems to have suddenly become the
champion of the disgruntled cause by directly naming and addressing Gen Bajwa in particular ,
full of insinuations and accusations albeit from a safe distance in the US.

That is just a sample of hostile penetration of our perceptual domain by unsavory characters like him.It happened because the Army Chief himself had ripped it asunder.In the Covid propelled financially challenging times he not only prevented a much needed pay increase without compensating it from reportedly Billions stashed away as GHQ’s income from various profitable undertakings but also had a kind of indifferent view of the hardship so caused.His focus was elsewhere. Meanwhile people in general continued to be confused and started visibly distancing from the Army just as Ik’s narrative of his removal by a combined US and local proxies’ conspiracy and alleged collusion by GHQ latter specifically by General Bajwa as claimed gained ground and spread.

The magic lay in his simple presentation of the strands and stages of the conspiracy
which made perfect sense and appeared logical to the awestruck audience every where he
went. The frame of timing, enabling environment, sequence of events and the tainted political
characters involved were a compelling evidence by themselves. Everything seemed to have
fallen in place as planned, people concluded.At this point in our discourse it is appropriate if we
touch upon the infamous cipher and by now the notorious notion of military neutrality.

Neutrality first.Neutrality or partiality is practiced by an autonomous entity between certain
other related entities for likeness or differences.This generic definition can be applied in the
context of our political parties.Because they are nearly autonomous entitities.However GHQ’s
declaration that it was neutral between PDM and PTI tussle was not well thought out and not in
order.Army is not an autonomous political entity.It is a subordinate force of the Federal govt and by the dint of its mandate is required to be apolitical not neutral.One may suggest that intellect quotient of the one who coined this phrase be refurbished as the term has become a butt of jokes and undeserved sarcasm due to no fault of the Army.A word of caution here.

Being apolitical has an upper limit.Once national security and integrity is directly, immediately
and unambiguously in jeopardy the armed forces in conjunction with the political leadership or
in their state of disarray ,by themselves must rise to the country’s rescue, stabilize and revert to
barracks post haste.This is a different and a sensitive constitutional debate and needs careful
parliamentary deliberations and approval.

Now a word or two about the much talked about cipher sent by our Ambassador in
Washington in March this year.Our friend Donald Lu chose to deliver his arrogant ultimatum to
remove IK through VONC or else face the consequences , to our ambassador in a formal
meeting where besides the Embassy note taker ,one presumes our Defense Attache must also
have taken notes to be sent to HQ ISI and shared with GHQ as a matter of practice.So the
cipher must have reached Foreign Office and GHQ almost simultaneously whose contents
cannot be materially different.It implies that the COAS and Foreign Minister both were in
picture about the cipher’s content and so was the PM.

It was discussed in NSC and agreed that US threat constituted a blatant intervention in our internal matters and a demarche must be served on the US Ambassador.It was again discussed under the Coalition PM Shebaz Sharif and minutes of the previous conference held under IK were confirmed.Thus it can be seen that cipher and its contents as repeatedly claimed by Imran Khan are a reality therefore its intended outcome too became a reality eventually. That is why it is sarcastically said that Donald Lu be thanked for unveiling regime change conspiracy and alongwith that exposing US proxies in Pakistan.Subsequent denials, obfuscation and attempts to twist and divert the issue by the govt and particularly but uncharacteristically by Gen Bajwa look so coarsely crafted..

It can now be safely assumed that in the regime change misadventure Gen Bajwa played a
larger role, and by miscalculation and default let out a political version of Hercules like Imran
Khan. Once sacked ,giving the devil his due, IK did quite a few brainy things .He titled his protest
march as Azadi March, disclosed that his life is threatened but refused to adopt bullet proof
security and that has recorded and secured a video where all the characters to be involved have
been mentioned in detail should he be assassinated.

Led the charged protesters despite state oppression to Islamabad and called off the sit-in just when stage was set for a Model Town style butchery by Shahbaz Sharif’s stolid Interior Minister. Dispersed to return,which he did, if his demand for new election date was not met thereby hanging the sword of Damocles over the Coalition Govt. Then he went on a whirlwind tour de force of political rallies in the country to show his people’s power again to the detractors. The result is that his narrative has been firmly planted among the people’s heart and mind and is very difficult to beat or match by any of the
PDM partners.

At the end of the day outgoing Chief, regrettably, seems to have earned the disapproval of
civil and military ranks both ,in a fairly large measure, that does not augur well for the Army.
Significantly he was unable to defend his controversial political interventions and teaming up
with discarded politicians, rationale and role in the regime change, a skewed concept of
military neutrality , deviation from the state’s foreign policy, changing stances about the cipher
and US intervention ,his strange threats to serving officers, maltreatment of retired officers and
placing officers on watch list for personal reasons.He could not also make a clean breast of his
alleged excessive family wealth.

As COAS he will be held responsible for the destruction of Pakistan Army’s fabled and historic brotherhood and solidarity between the serving and the retired officers and disorientation of many under his command. He will also be seen as the architect of Pakistan’s swift drift towards political anarchy and financial default. Pakistan Army and successive high commands will have an uphill task washing away his legacy and rebuild their olden credibility which by now has become suspect. In our military history he would be known as the Chief who could not become one.