ISLAMABAD: The new chief of Pakistan’s army had a tough act to follow whenhe took the baton of command in November 2016, reported New York Times. Hispredecessor had been a widely popular figure, credited with dramaticallycurbing both attacks by militants against civilians and politicalcorruption and extortion. There was apprehension that the army’s nextleader could never match these successes and might struggle to exertcontrol.
But since assuming what is considered the most powerful position in thecountry, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa has left no doubt about who is in charge. Alittle more than a year after he took command, there is already talk in thecountry of the “Bajwa Doctrine,” with Pakistan’s approach to foreign anddomestic policies reflecting the army chief’s vision.
General Bajwa has served during a time of great political upheaval, even bythe tumultuous standards of Pakistan. He was chosen as army chief by theprime minister at the time, Nawaz Sharif, with a critical factor in hisselection being the general’s strong support for friendlier ties betweenthe military and civilians.
But Mr. Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court over corruption charges, ina controversial decision in July.
Then earlier this month, the Trump administration announced itwould suspend nearly all security aid to Pakistan, an across-the-boardfreeze that is the most tangible sign yet of Washington’s frustration withwhat it sees as the country’s refusal to crack down on terrorist networksoperating there.
The decision, which could affect as much as $1.3 billion in annual aid,came three days after President Trump complained on Twitter that Pakistanhad “given us nothing but lies & deceit” and accused it of providing “safehaven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan.”
Statements from the Pakistan army’s media wing have described General Bajwaas being outspoken in conversations with American generals and governmentofficials. In a call this month with Gen. Joseph L. Votel, the head of theUnited States Central Command, for example, General Bajwa talked of a“sense of betrayal” within the country over Mr. Trump’s tweet, the armysaid.
The relationship between Pakistan and the United States has been one of“allies with an up and down history,” said Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, thespokesman of the Pakistani military.
Since the announcement from the Trump administration, General Bajwa hasstressed that Pakistan will not seek the resumption of American securityaid and that the country is not dependent on it. Since last year, he hasbeen reaching out to countries like China, Iran, Qatar, Russia and SaudiArabia — building contacts that could help him cement his grip on power andreduce Pakistan’s reliance on the United States.
In the view of the Pakistan military, both General Bajwa and hispredecessor, Gen. Raheel Sharif, can point to victories against militantswho have attacked the country’s civilian population, which has increasedthe army’s popularity.
General Sharif during his tenure “cleared leftover strongholds ofterrorists in northwestern Pakistan,” General Ghafoor, the militaryspokesman, said. “General Bajwa is taking it forward to enduring peace andstability not only in Pakistan, but the region as well.”
General Bajwa is also pursuing fencing along the 1,685-mile length of thePakistan-Afghanistan border to help curb cross-border movements bymilitants. And he has pushed for the repatriation of Afghan refugees tokeep militants from hiding in the country by mingling with refugees insettlement camps.
And Pakistan, General Ghafoor said, “remains committed to continuecontributing all efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan and understands U.S.concerns.”
On the domestic front, critics say that General Bajwa is essentiallyfollowing the same institutional policies that have made the military anoverarching influence in the country.
“For the last one and a half years, civilian-military ties have hit theirlowest ebb,” said Zahid Hussain, a widely read political columnist andanalyst. “The army is now much more assertive. It has greatly increased itsclout.”
Since being removed from the prime minister’s office, Mr. Sharif has goneon a political offensive. He has drawn enormous crowds at public ralliesand, in sometimes veiled and sometimes not-so-veiled references, hasaccused the judiciary and the military of hatching a conspiracy to removehim from office.
The military has denied accusations that it is behind Mr. Sharif’s removal,but allegations of the military’s intelligence agencies meddling inpolitics continue to surface.
Recently, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a Sharif loyalist who succeeded him asprime minister, hinted at the role of intelligence agencies in forcing theresignation of an ally of Mr. Sharif from the post of chief minister ofBaluchistan Province in the country’s southwest.
There is speculation within the governing party, the Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz, that the military will not allow a level playing field in thenext general elections, which are five months away. There are also worriesthat the vote may be delayed.
General Ghafoor, the military spokesman, played down the fears of adisruption of the coming vote. “Democracy is the way forward,” he said.“Elections should take place on time.”
Mr. Hussain, the political columnist, echoed that sentiment, saying fearsof a coup or delay in elections were exaggerated. “I don’t see anyderailment of the democratic process,” he said.
One of the country’s leading opposition politicians, and a bitter foe ofMr. Sharif, raved about the job the new army chief has done.
“I have more praise for General Bajwa than General Raheel Sharif,” theopposition politician, Imran Khan, said at his political office in thesuburbs of Islamabad. “Never has an army chief so openly supporteddemocracy.”
Mr. Khan, a contender to be Pakistan’s next prime minister, said GeneralBajwa had doubled down on his predecessor’s efforts to curtail militantviolence and political corruption.
As an example, Mr. Khan pointed out that there had been suspicion among thebusiness community of Karachi, the country’s commercial hub, that actionsstarted by the former army chief against criminal political gangs andextortionists in the city might come to a halt. “But there has been noletup,” Mr. Khan said.
The relationship between Mr. Sharif and General Bajwa fractured this pastspring over leaks to the news media of a meeting at which Pakistan’scivilian leaders confronted the military over its alleged reluctance tofight Islamist groups in the country.
And with Mr. Sharif continuing to speak out since leaving office, themilitary appears in no mood to repair the rift with the still highlyinfluential politician. “Nawaz Sharif still has a lot of say,” said Mr.Hussain, the columnist. “And the anger against him within the army isgreater than before.”
The army chief is said to have a better working relationship with Mr.Abbasi, Mr. Sharif’s successor.
“There has been much more institutional contact between Prime MinisterAbbasi and General Bajwa,” said Mr. Hussain. “Unlike under Nawaz, whenthere was a complete breakdown in institutional decision-making.”
“But this is not to suggest that there is no friction,” Mr. Hussain added.“The army is in a much stronger position now.”