Iqbal Khan
Ayesha Siddiqa is a former civil servant, and in that capacity she served as the director of naval research with the Pakistan Navy, making her the first civilian and the first woman to work at that position. She also worked in military accounts and as deputy director Defense Services Audit. She owes her numerous prestigious positions in international academic circles to her persistent and biting criticism of Pakistan Army. Of late she is seen drifting from organizational to personal critique, which really in not befitting her stature.
One such effort is reflective in her June 21 piece captioned: “New ISI chief Faiz Hameed a manipulator picked by army chief Bajwa to be his master’s voice”; carried by a New Delhi based blog “The Print”. This speculative piece ventures into comparative evaluation of the General officers and military’s field formations, alongside drawing sensational conclusions about the future trajectories of Pakistan’s political landscape. To weave such narratives, either the author has to be an insider or be in collusion with some disgruntled insider(s), or just be off the cuff speculator.
Piece begins with a biting teaser and a sensational opening sentence: “Pakistan Army replaced its ISI head within 8 months with an ‘average’ officer close to chief Bajwa, whose hold in country’s politics grows by day”… “the Inter-Services Intelligence, got a new chief this week, Lt General Faiz Hameed, making the world wonder what has he done to deserve the position. Or what will now be the fate of one of the most talked about intelligence agencies in the world”. Well on what criteria writer terms the incoming DG ISI as “average”—military equivalent of mediocre— is any body’s guess because such comparative date is treated as highly confidential and is well guarded by the institution. One wonders whether writer has impinged upon the Official Secrets Act, or has just relied on Grapevine leaks.
Writers tweet presupposes that “Faiz Hameed’s command will see larger no of ‘mysterious disappearances’ his arrival has already started to have impact in the lawyer’s sentiment to support Justice Faiz Isa”. She has not indicated whether it her nightmare or a gospel revelation. She adds that: “Even if Gen Bajwa retires this year placing Faiz Hameed as DG ISI means his own man bidding for the chief’s position in the future”. She tries to comment on Army’s succession, and forgets that it was only once that DGISI became army chief, and Faiz’s ascension to this appointment dims rather than improving his chances to succeed Bajwa. And as regards the outgoing DG, he has gone to the field for commanding a Corps, which makes him eligible to compete as Bajwa’s replacement. It is command of a Corps that makes a three star eligible to start dreaming to become next chief; even though many ifs and buts would continue to haunt all such aspirants; serving a DG ISI is taken as opposite to this.
Author goes on to speculate: “…the new Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, has raised eyebrows not due to his appointment but because he replaced Lt Gen. Asim Munir, who was appointed just eight months ago. This creates an impression that Faiz Hameed brings more to his boss’s table than his immediate predecessor. The change has ensured for him the title of being ‘his master’s voice’ and the fact that this will have an impact on the politics inside the organisation for the short to medium term”.
Again foreseeing impact within army is amateurish; in military set-ups, the World, over Services Chives have the last word in such postings; and once that word is articulated, the rest put their heads down and implement it, then on life continues as normal. Writer’s calculations about “Yes” and “No of incumbent Army Chief’s extensions are also premature.
Ayesha goes on to state that: “But Qamar Bajwa, who had taken over the command of the army by then, brought his own man to head the ‘C’ wing of the ISI responsible for counter-intelligence, which means a hand on the political pulse of Pakistan and on the organizational pulse of its army. Indeed, Hameed grew so powerful in that position that many viewed him as the main man running the ISI and not Lt Gen. Naveed Mukhtar, who served as the DG ISI from December 2016 to October 2018”. This is a befitting tribute to the Faiz with regard to his compatibility for current assignment.
Writer gives he shoulder to some disgruntled voice by stating that “The shift will certainly leave a mark on the relationship between the army’s spy organisation, Military Intelligence – which is where Asim Munir had come from – and the ISI”. She goes below the belt when she says: “Faiz Hameed may be counted as an average officer but he is certainly a man with above average personal ambitions… Bajwa’s influence leaped further last week when he was included as a member in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s newly created body for Pakistan’s economic revival – the National Development Council. Though many observers claim that Bajwa will retire from his position of army chief in November this year, Bajwa himself had voiced his intent to stay on for at least another year to his counterparts in the United Kingdom during a visit in October 2018”… “Bajwa’s staying on will have an effect on the careers of 24 lieutenant generals and numerous major generals. The domino effect of Bajwa’s decision will enhance the internal pressure inside the organisation. The level of resentment and the fallback will have to be calculated and minimized”.
She comments on military’s internal judicial system in a negative way, “Bajwa recently sentenced a three-star lieutenant general to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and death to a one-star brigadier and a scientist for leaking the country’s nuclear secrets for money.
This, in an army that has tried to insulate itself from corruption allegations through instituting an extensive system of perks and privileges for its men, especially the higher echelons. The story of Lt Gen. (retd) Javed Iqbal and Retired Brigadier Raja Rizwan speaks of the breaking down of the business-as-usual method”. One needs to observe that these punishment would deter the others from following the suite of these culprits; hopefully Ayesha did not wish to see these guys decorated.
She continues to belittle Faiz and tarnish his image by saying that “As the head of ISI, Faiz Hameed would ensure that the new political mechanism namely the PTI survives, and the political influence of the opposition parties is managed well, especially at a time when the risk to Prime Minister Imran Khan can become formidable due to economic pressures the public faces”. And “One of Lt Gen. Faiz Hameed’s important tasks would be to ensure that the political pot doesn’t boil over into the streets. This would call for management of resources within the political party system, and generating sufficient amount of fear in the larger civil society to curb any popular political movement emerging, especially in Punjab. According to one keen observer of Pakistan’s security, there will certainly be more news of ‘mysterious deaths’ in the country”.
Author concludes by saying that “If indeed the purpose is to build up and ensure prolongation of General Bajwa’s career, as was done by his predecessor General Kiyani, it points to a shift in the organizational ethos. With every army chief considering himself indispensable, the only result is the eventual weakening of the organisation”.
For Army, There is need to exercise prudence and treat the matter in a low profile rather than giving it an undue hype.
