LONDON: ‘Bajwa Doctrine’ has taken out Pakistan out of existential crisisas a result it’s time to give respect to Pakistan, British Army General hassaid.
A retired senior British Army officer has said that Pakistan hasestablished order within its borders under the military command of GeneralQamar Bajwa.
In an article for the Spectator magazine, Major-General (retired) JonathanDavid Shaw wrote that the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toPakistan is “showcasing Pakistan as it is today” rather than the past, andthat the visit shows how Pakistan has transformed its internal securitysituation.
Jonathan Shaw recently visited Pakistan and toured various areas. Theauthor is the former head of the SAS, as well as being the two-star incharge of Pakistan policy. In addition to his former special forcesbackground the Oxford educated General regularly writes for the FinancialTimes, Telegraph and Spectator.
“When I used to go to Pakistan regularly over the period 2009-10, I saw acountry facing an existential crisis. Pakistan harbours 2.7million refugeesfrom the 1979 then 2001 invasions in Afghanistan,” wrote the army officer,noting that the real psychological turning point for the country came afterthe attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in 2014 by theTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which killed around 158 people.
Shaw wrote that action against militants has yielded dividends for Pakistan.
“I visited the Khyber Pass section of the 833km fence, with 700 guard fortsalong its route, soon to be augmented by CCTV and sensor devices. This $1bneffort has choked off the Haqqani and TTP terrorist networks. And in afurther sign of national CT resolve, all those on the US ‘watch-list’ inPakistan have been arrested. Much credit for this must go to the Chief ofthe Army Staff, General Bajwa. He was picked as COAS over the heads of moresenior officers on account of his strong pro-democracy attitudes.”
He wrote that gen Bajwa has proved himself “an able interlocutor in tryingto de-escalate tensions in Yemen, between KSA and Iran, and of course inAfghanistan.”
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Jonathan Shaw wrote that General Bajwa has focused on supporting the softeraspects of societal regrowth. General Bajwa told Jonathan Shaw for theSpectator article: “A strong army needs a sovereign economy.”
He added: “His character and broad vision for the overall strength ofPakistan explains why PM Imran Khan has recently extended him for a secondthree year term. And he is well-matched to his PM, who has shown strengthand courage with his anti-corruption drive, his Peace and Prosperity agendaand his release of the Indian pilot shot down in the Pulwama incident inKashmir this February.”
He added: “As what has become known as the ‘Bajwa doctrine’ has it, now isnot the time to ask for more from Pakistan; now is the time for the worldto give more respect to Pakistan.”
Report by: Murtaza Ali Shah
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