Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

RAWALPINDI: “Pakistan Army supports all efforts to eliminate terrorism and restore peace in the country, and it is our earnest desire that all elements fighting against the state should unconditionally submit to the country’s constitution and law and come back to the national main stream,” said Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif.

Addressing the Youm-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Day) ceremony in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Wednesday evening, General Sharif asked anti-state elements to unconditionally accept Pakistan’s Constitution and join the national mainstream otherwise the military “with the support of people will take them to task.”

In his first public speech since he became the Army Chief in November last year, General Sharif said that ‘democracy is the only way forward’ to join developed nations of the world.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and former Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.

But General Raheel’s carefully worded speech, where he unequivocally supported the democracy and freedom of media indicated that tensions between the civil and military leadership had defused.

However, he made it clear that there was no room for any doubt about ‘our ability to deal with’ insurgents.

“The brave people of Pakistan and the army has the full capacity to take such elements to task,” he stressed.

The Army Chief also spoke on the development work undertaken by the military in the restive Balochistan province.

He also termed Pakistan’s Army as a representative of all the four provinces, key for the national unity, symbol of nationalism and guarantor of the defence of the country.

“The induction of over 20,000 officers and soldiers in the Pakistan army from Balochistan is a testament to the province’s trust in the military,” he remarked.

He also termed Kashmir as a ‘jugular vein’ of Pakistan and called for its resolution in line of the aspirations of the Kashmir people.

“Sacrifices of Kashmirs will not go in vain. Pakistan Army is in favor of peace but is always ready to respond to any aggression in befitting manner.”

Source:
Army supports all efforts to eliminate terrorism, restore peace: Army Chief – The Express Tribune

Quite sensible and professional speech by General Raheel Sharif. Quelling impressions of brewing cold war between the government and the Army, General Raheel’s speech calmed some burning and bruised egos both in his own department and also in the civilian setup.

He also invited rebels of the state to surrender to the constitution and join the mainstream. It was a welcoming invite. I hope he also takes some practical and visible steps, especially in regard with Balochistan, to show that he means business.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Aap ka waqar pehlay
Ya
Pakistan ka

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

When COAS says democracy is way forward, it sends a chill down my spine.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

as if the army never impeded the establishment/progression of the democracy in Pakistan.

btw and tbh, the democracy as it exists in Pakistan today is a curse and is worse than dictatorship.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Right but democracy can improve itself but ...........................................

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief


bilkul magar uske liye mauroosii siyaasat se nikalnaa hogaa.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Imran ka kuchh nahin , Nawaz bhi ------ showbaz ka ....... chalnay wala naheen , altaf bhi ........
Billawal hay agar bach gia to

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Casting aspersions on the remarks of an army chief is not entirely unfounded. But I am of the view that if the army is trying to improve its image and its habits, then it should be fully encouraged. If you want to move you, you look forward, not backward.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

yes , trying to re-improve its relation with IK
call back TuQ , drama no 1
[RIGHT]قادری آ رہا ہے........!!!میری ماوؤں بہنو.....!!!
اپنے زیور گہنے نقدی وغیرہ چھپا لو پھر نہ کہنا بتایا نہ تھا[/RIGHT]

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Good and encouraging statements by Army chief, more and more people are getting fed up with democracy and majority these days don't care whether is democracy or dictatorship and you can totally understand their feeling as well but dictatorship is not the solution either so great to see Army supporting the democratic government. Kayani was ridiculed for not acting against Zardari but he did what was best for Pakistan in long term. If we can tolerate a person like Zardari for 5 years then i don't see why we can't tolerate others.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

I did not read the whole article ... so can you please tell me in what context Army Chief was talking and what Army Chief meant?

Was Army Chief talking about 'good of democracy' for 99.9 percent Pakistani working-class or 'good of democracy' for 0.1 percent Pakistani non-working class corrupt Thugs and Choors?

Actually, what I mean is that, by making such statement, did Army chief meant that:

**
A:** Future of Pakistan is democracy that is voice of people, and that would come in Pakistan when people of Pakistan would take up arms, would learn (as well as kill) to fight for their right of democracy representing 99.9 percent working-class Pakistanis, and would snatch democracy from 'thugs and corrupts' who rule Pakistan as 'kings' in the name of democracy and have made working class Pakistanis their slaves ... and that army would always be there to help co-working-class Pakistanis to liberate themselves and achieve their this right of democracy?

*Or *

B: Pakistan should never be ruled by working class 99.9 percent 'Kammi, Hari, Kisaan, factory workers or 'educated professional and non-professional' city dweller' Pakistanis ... that includes working class matric-pass rangroots (according to Anwer Pasha Saheb) ... and that Pakistan should always be ruled b non-working class matric-fail 'choor and corrupt' Zamindars/Waderas/Sardars/industrialists/shop-keepers etc.

What Army Chief want to say?

If Army Chief means 'A' than I would consider Army Chief as 'Lion', a 'brave and honest Pakistani', a person who is loyal to Pakistan that pays him to do everything for Pakistan, and one representing 99.9 percent of working class Pakistanis (what he is too).

If Army Chief means 'B' than I would consider that Nawaz Shareef is good in bringing someone as army Chief who qualify as 'perfect guard-dog' for their** 'Kings and Masters**' (as what Pakistani 'choor and corrupt' rulers and their chailay-chamchay consider army and army chief ... no more than 'guard dogs') ... and so, with their own guard-dog commanding 'million dogs' to rely upon or at least feel safe from, corrupt and thugs in Pakistan are safe to rule Pakistan as Kings, loot and plunder Pakistan at will, and abuse 99.9 percent of Pakistani working class as their slaves.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

He means democracy his way. Have you ever heard that chokidar of any democratic world utter such nonsense unless he thinks he is above democracy. All BS nonsense.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

^^^
People are strength of country and it is they whom democracy represents.

If army takeovers power in the country and 'people' do not come out in masses to support their illegally chosen corrupt thugs who got deposed, or people in masses do not show their displeasure by coming out on road, than takeover of power by 'army chief' is justified in any democracy ... as such takeover by army chief would be from the people (army is also people), for the people and by the people.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

This is not how demcracy works. This kind of thinking has left Pakis and Pakistan 'zalil o khuwar'. Instead of this nonsense I prefer the absolute corruption of dogs who have guns in their hands to rule.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Pakistan ko duniya may zaleel-o-khuwar sirf Pakistani thugs nay kiya hay, especially Zardari, Nawaz, BeNazir and chailay-chamchay of these thugs pretending to be politicians. Yea log iss duniya may tou zaleel-o-khuwar hain hee … Insha-Allah mernay kay baad bhie Zaleel-o-khawar hon gay.

Check what world says about Pakistani thugs who conned everyone … and know that it is these people … people named in video (BeNazeer, Zardari, Nawaz and people like them) made Pakistan Zaleel-o-Khuwar: Remember, this is how world looks at them … even after their death.

In old days, when kingdoms use to rule, if people welcomed invading army (or country’s army general taking over power) as liberating army, or did not protested by giving resistance to invading (or revolting) army, then it meant kings were worthless, cruel and evil … and thus invading (or revolting) army in such kingdoms are respected.

Same way, if army of a country takes over power in a country where sham-democratic exists and people welcome the army as liberating army, or did not protested against the army by coming out on road, then one can say that sham democratic rulers were worthless, cruel and evil … and in such country, army takeover of power is need of the time and should be respected.

As for Pakistan, army takeover power is constitutional requirement (and thus mandatory on army), as people holding offices are not only corrupt thugs, worthless, incompetent, cruel and evil, they are also holding the office illegally and unconstitutionally (most in power or in assembly do not even qualify to contest election but bribed their way into election and then got elected using corruption, intimidation, black-mailing, threatening, and especially rigging).

In my opinion, it is better to get ruled by disciplined people from armed forces who when in power are few (have no army of corrupt chailay-chamchay), hard working, from working-class Pakistanis, more concerned for the country, less evil, less prone to nepotism and corruption, much better trained as managers, and obviously more competent and less corrupt than army of thugs who illegally get into power through democracy and then starts a ‘bazaar’ of corruption, nepotism, mismanagement, looting, plunder, abuses, exploitation, extortion, power misuse, playing with justice system, atrocities on masses … and so on.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

You have jotted down a colossal charge-sheet :)

Well, I see your points, your expectations and disappointments. The charge-sheet you have prepared has hardly anything wrong. But we must understand that military rule is not a solution, but a problem itself. It is understandable to get frustrated over the way democracy has functioned in the country. But problem is in the implementation of the system and not the system itself.

Firstly, there is neither any constitutional nor any logical way to put the army in command of managerial affairs of the country. Secondly, you must have heard that "power corrupts". Even if the army is put in-charge of the country, it will become even more corrupt over a period of time than politicians because of the immunity they enjoy. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Your frustration is understandable, but to correct democracy, we need more of it. That's the only way out. Army must not have any say in the political affairs of the country. Dictatorship may work as a short-term solution, but it will result in cancerous consequences for the country in the long run.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Super Duper Thug, Mush:)

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

Yes, but it improves ONLY when you have educated masses meaning when you have a reasonable percentage of literacy rate where common people who have "Shaoor" and who can distinguish between good bad.

Democracy in current scenario and environment and political culture we have in Pakistan is never going to produce the right result no matter how long it is left to continue. Several components of Pakistani society from top to bottom has caught bad wounds that has become a "Gangrene" now. Gangrene is a medical condition where a wound becomes untreatable and you basically have to get rid of that part unfortunately. Like Hasan Nisa says, in current system we have, if you put haram in machine on one end, it will produce haram on the other end regardless.

Majority of people in Pakistan (including intellectuals, journalists, common people and others) unfortunately fail to understand this. With current practice of democracy it is like shooting in the dark with no visible target.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

The point you have made is of utmost importance and worries me the most. Someone recently asked in a TV show "how the vote of an uneducated village woman can be equal to the vote of the chief justice of the supreme court?"

I said it a few times in some of my threads that the illiterate vote — which is in majority — conveniently outnumbers the educated vote of the country. This issue needs to be seriously discussed.

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Re: Democracy is the only way forward: Army Chief

I thought it was a good speech. Very relevant, very focused and quite a direct and listener friendly speech without many rhetorical gimmicks and clichéd slogans, and coded comments. The speech, in many ways, came across as a brief summery of army's overall position on many current issues, from democracy to peace talks to the recent media crisis, everything was covered.

I personally still get quite surprised everytime I hear Gen. Raheel speak. He's quite a reluctant speaker for a man who carries himself with such imperial haughtiness.