The ideological origins of the Pakistan Army can be traced back to what is known in British histories as the ‘The Indian Mutiny.’ Its objective was to reinstate to power in Delhi the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah. This was India’s First War of Independence and was mainly fought by Muslims, although many Hindu troops also took part as a result of crude treatment by their British officers.
When partition came around in 1947, the formations, units and assets of the British Indian Armed forces were intended to be proportionately divided between Bharat (India) and Pakistan. The Indians refused to give up any worthwhile equipment, as had been agreed, but nearly all Muslims soldiers from the British Indian Army joined the newly formed Pakistan Army. Muslim identity was therefore embedded in Pakistan’s army right from the outset.
The famous slogan in the struggle for Pakistan, coined by the Urdu poet Asghar Sodai, was ‘Pakistan ka Matlab kya, La Illaha Illallah. (What does Pakistan mean? ..There is no God but Allah). But in actuality, Pakistan was forged by Indian narrow-mindedness. Had ultra-nationalist Hindu leaders accepted the All-India Muslim League’s demands for Muslims to be given fair representation in legislative assemblies, India would not have been partitioned.
When Pakistan became a reality, Hindu leaders struggled to reconcile themselves to it and wanted to undo Pakistan militarily. The Pakistan Army stood in their way – a number of times, it took batterings, but it was never defeated. Consequently, the Pakistan army developed into a first-class fighting machine.
Over the years, Indian leaders have struck out at Pakistan but in doing so they have damaged India’s self-assurance and confidence.
India not only occupied Muslim majority princely states (Junagargrh, Hyderabad, Manvadar and Kashmir), it also dismembered Pakistan. In the absence of a central political party in united Pakistan, East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971. Today, India is busy exploiting faultlines in Pakistan. It has started sponsoring separatist groups in Baluchistan. And again, with no political party able to command popularity in all provinces, many Pakistanis look once more to the army for answers.
Civilian bureaucracy is in decline, unable to withstand the malpractices of the country’s elite and prone to facilitating corruption instead of preventing it. Again and again, Pakistani society has looked to the army to undertake tasks beyond its domain. The risk of military overreach – albeit with the consent of ordinary Pakistanis – is real. But then again, institutions independent of elected governments perform outsized roles in plenty of other countries. Think only of the FBI, Mossad and India’s own security agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).
In Pakistan, however, the army and security agencies come under constant assault by politicians. In previous decades, the Pakistani army has toppled ruling governments; it deserves some credit for resisting the temptation to do so with the current administration.
Pakistan has long been led by poorly-run political parties full of opportunistic and dynastic careerists. When parliamentary democracy and civil bureaucracy are found wanting, the military is often blamed for holding democracy back. Liberals even allege that the fathers of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan, over-exaggerated the Indian threat in order to legitimize attempts at centralizing state power. However, Indian aggression in 1971, its sponsorship of insurgent groups in Balochistan and its ill-treatment of Muslim masses in Kashmir and other areas prove that in Pakistan we need to remain vigilant and keep our military strength up.
Pakistan’s army is popular throughout the country because it draws the bulk of its officers and men from the middle class. It has effectively restored law and order in Karachi and Malakand, and in tribal areas. It has deterred terrorists and managed to retain popular support among those with religious inclinations. There was no surprise when the army smoothly evicted the recent sit-in by extremists at Faizabad, after the civilian government failed to relieve the suffering of people in Islamabad for 17 long days.
Wary of its critics, the army is continuing to widen recruitment from all provinces and is contributing to sports, health and education at a national level.
Instead of throwing around blame and criticism, Pakistan’s politicians need to look at the planks in their own eyes. The more good governance takes root, the less demand there will be for the military to play a role in public affairs. Pakistani politicians must work for stability and Pakistani economists and bureaucrats must also fix their own domains.
This is quite obvious that the major politics parties in Pakistan have many Rotten eggs which are undoughtly playling in the Hands of Enemy countries (India, Isreal, USA UK and Afhanistan. For leaders of these parties Loving and supporting Pakistan security forces and Army is a big sin but playing with hand of Foreign agenies is no loonger bad thing
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"Instead of throwing around blame and criticism, Pakistan’s politicians need to look at the planks in their own eyes."
I agree, the politicians in Pakistan need to set an example, actions speak louder than words. Instead of yelling this and that, show your commitment by bringing investment back into your country.
Those that have money or investment in foreign countries, have no right to call themselves Pakistanis or their respective citizenship. True commitment is working hard for your country, not just words but backing with some action.
Take China for example, the hard work of their people, a rising powerful economy.
"This was India’s First War of Independence…"
I disagree. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was against the British East India Company. We know what happened. The Sepoys lost "The Government of India Act 1958" was passed and Queen Victoria became an Empress of the British Empire.
So far so good.
But what if the Sepoys had won? Would an "India’ have formed? answer is a resounding "NO"!
Mr. Malik is correct that the majority of the Sepoy who rose up against the British were Muslim who also forced a dithering old Mughal Emperor to assume powers against his will. Had the Sepoys won the Muslims would have tried to piece together the shattered Mughal Empire and the rest of the Sepoy armies would have returned to their respective Hindu, Muslim and Sikh Kingdoms.
India the nation with a Democracy, laws based on common law, the English language, to even the cities of Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and New Delhi would not have existed. NO India. NO Pakistan. NO Bangladesh.
Now that is the best case scenario. The worst case scenario would have been the entrance of other European powers after the British retreat leaving a vacuum of power in its place. France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and I would even claim that Spain, to Carist Russia (and lets not leave out the US) would have entered he Subcontinent, hired local armies and gone at each other in free for all war to cliam South Asia.
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That pan European war would have extended into South East and East Asia on one side and West Asia on the other. Why? because that region (South, South East, East, and West Asia) accounted for over 70% of the world’s wealth and economies. Vast lands with incredible wealth but lacking the advanced weaponry of the West. World war One Would have begun in 1858 and not 1914
Keep in mind the Industrial Revolution was going on during the Sepoy Rebellion. Had the British lost that revolution would have churned out weapons for war and not machines for commerce. The American civil war of 1861 churned out advanced weapons from the Gatlin Gun, repeating rifle, trench warfare, to the submarine. They in turn would have fed the Pan European war waged in Asia. .. all because the British lost.
Fascinating question – had the East India Company lost in 1857 in India?
Europeans, a spent force by then, would have been evicted from Asia. They were already past their peak. They began their suicide 1914-45 barely 3 generations later.
Ottomans and Persians would have allied themselves with India south, by then militarily and socially the most advanced part of India. It had the most advanced ballistics in the world (as captured by the British in 1799), the most educated people, and the most unified ones too (no Muslim-Hindu enmity). They would have most likely taken over the north.
Indian in general would have been less Eurpoeanized, and far ahead of China.
But that was not to be.
I am aghast that a publication of this stature will publish such substandard piece of journalistic rubbish. For instance the writer says Pakistan army was never defeated,ignoring the fact after surrender in 1971 over 100,000 Paki prisoners of war were left in India and so he goes on with untruth after untruth!
Syed Abbas
The European "East India Companies" were expanding around the 1850’s .
France, England, Holland and even the Portuguese Empires were competing with each other just in the subcontinent.
The Industrial Revolution which began around the 1830’s continued to gain speed till the late 19th century
America was about to enter a civil war and expand to the vast regions of the West.
Then you have Tsarist Russia who looked with envy at their relatives in Europe creating vast colonial Empires.
-The birth of the Austro Hungarian Empire in the 1860’s would have met that desire Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy wanted in WW2 and that was colonial Empires
The Colonial age of Empires was driven by an earlier age. The age of Discovery. Once Europe discovered the new world and the potential power of it there was no stoppig them
One thing is for sure. Had the Sepoy’s los there would not be an "India’, "Pakistan" or "Bangladesh’. However there would be a "Sri Lanka"
Oops. Correction "had the Sepoys Won there would be no "India’ , "Pakistan’ or "Bangladesh"
Pakistan army also enjoys one unique distinction, that it encompasses all the Provinces and Federal territory under green flag.
Till recently, Baluchistan was one area which was not THAT MUCH represented in officer’s Elam of Pakistan army. Special quotas were fixed and here you have young men from Baluch land part of it.
It seems a balanced article. Writer clearly mentioned that Pakistan and pakistan was damged by off course its Adversary but Pak Army has never defeated mentally. It still enjoys the love of Pakistani nation and overwhelming popularity. It spite of all odds like economical instability, terrorism, and political instability, Pak Army is successful in maintaining its good reputation in the masses. It remains the face in Pakistan current overall environment that politicians MUST DELIVER. You must also give credit to Pak Army that it did not interfere with political system, in spite of having many opportunities and huge internal/ external pressure, which has further enhanced its prestige and stature.
Pak Army is our pride..And ISI Is our fierce strength .. I m Pakistani and didn’t believe on these corrupt politician they are thieves.. But Pak Army is the real face and trust of Pakistan.. while these corrupt politician these are like dogs for us.. Pak Army is the power and Army of Islam.. Like their logon is Pakistan means la illaha ilal la.. There is no God but Allah.. And they are the soldiers of Allah
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just copy and past this…..
"In previous decades, the Pakistani army has toppled ruling governments; it deserves some credit for resisting the temptation to do so with the current administration."
Let me translate this: The army deserves credit for resisting temptation to not to violate the constitution — a crime that carries capital punishment.
This is laughable!
No sane person has ever had to resist a temptation that carries such a severe penalty, unless of course they think they can get away with it.
So if in the present circumstances, there seems to be little chance that the army would overthrow an elected government, it could be either because the army has learnt from the past mistakes and has truly come to accept that the constitutional limits on its role, or it reckons that cannot get away with it.
Either way, it is a reflection of political development in Pakistan.
Dont mind the Indian trolls we have ruled over them for 700 years during the age of Mughal empire its the inferiority complex thats killing them.