Current Analysis and Newspaper Session Series
# 47 Discusses Recent developments in Civil-Military Relations (Click Show More)
1. Politics of Confrontation: [ Ссылка ] [ Ссылка ]
2. What the government-opposition showdown entail: [ Ссылка ]
3. Tainted Accountability Drive: [ Ссылка ]
4. Lecture Outline:
a. Showdown is on; the anti-government coalition to unseat the government has started
b. The coalition has been in the making ever since the 2018 election
c. Stated objective:
i. Strengthening democracy
ii. Civilian supremacy
iii. Across the board unbiased accountability
d. Real objectives:
i. Save the skin of leadership
ii. Do some deal with the establishment
e. Merits of Opposition
i. Maintaining an Anti-establishment stance
f. Genuine Grievances
i. One-sided accountability has a long history of pedigree in Pakistan
ii. NAB created as a tool of political victimization by a dictator
iii. All three dictators demonized the political class to legitimize their own dictatorial regimes
iv. Military establishment’s role in political engineering throughout civilian administrations is very clear especially during the 90s
v. Despite that, these parties have a history of signing deals with the establishment themselves; checkered past so lose legitimacy
g. The PTI government’s anti-democratic credentials
i. Unwillingness and inability to constructively engage with the opposition; unilateralist mindset
ii. Relying on the establishment to bulldoze key pieces of legislation such as the FATF bills through parliament
iii. Sponsoring media trials and influencing NAB accountability drive
iv. Curbs of media freedom and freedom of speech
v. Charges of sedition on opposition leadership
h. Future of PDM?
i. No much can be achieved because in-fighting is around the corner
ii. Important political blowback against increasing military footprint in exercise of state power and responsibilities
iii. Strengthening of the electoral system
