Banners drive ought to be given shut-up call

ISLAMABAD: Who is running a campaign to malign the Pakistan Army and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif by calling on him to intervene and why, when he has made categorical declarations that the military supports democracy and the Constitution?

Top military spokesman Lt-Gen Asim Bajwa also recently told a German media outlet that the army backs democracy. The campaign, sponsored by a phantom organisation, is hurting the name of the army and requires to be checked forthwith by the relevant quarters.

The outfit ought to be given a shut-up call by the powers that be to stop its drive, which is promoting a constitutional violation.

During the devastating 2014  sit-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), General Raheel Sharif had played a memorable role to annihilate the conspiracy to get the democratic dispensation demolished. This had proved beyond doubt that the chief commander was all for democracy.

Besides, a number of actions taken by the army chief including the launching and executing the military operation, Zarb-e-Azb have added feathers to his cap. The move by the ghost group called “Move on Pakistan” is meant to cast a shadow on such unparalleled initiatives, which have been universally applauded and acclaimed. The general has been earning rare public appreciation and approval.

Whether it is an individual act or a bankrolled move, the outfit has displayed posters in different cities, urging General Raheel Sharif to take over. There can’t be more blatant demand for imposition of martial law.

A few months back, the same outfit, nonexistent in public, had churned out similar publicity material. No effort was made to stop it from its illegal activity. This time too, there is no such warning. Previously, the outfit had urged the general to give up the talk of retiring.

However, this enterprise had stood nailed after General Raheel Sharif, ostensibly displeased over public discussion about his staying or opting out as the army chief, publicly announced that he would go home on the due date of retirement in November this year.

Immediately after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan after his open heart surgery in London where he stayed for 48 days, these posters appeared mainly in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi. This has happened just 137 days before the retirement date of the army chief.

Although the unconstitutional activities of the organization have not found much space in the print or electronic media, they have been discussed on the micro-blogging website, Twitter.

One tweet said that this time it’s some Ali Hashmi; in Pervez Musharraf’s time, such hoardings were put up by one Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem (who is now a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI).

Another tweet said that the unknown organization, Move on Pakistan, discreetly demands coup by General Raheel Sharif; posters are all over the main roads of the federal capital.

Ironically, a Quranic verse has been written on the top of the poster, which means that victory was nearby. The banner says the talk of going home (by the army chief) has become old; for God’s sake, come now. It also carries the army chief’s picture. The carrying of his photograph underlines the need for army intervention. It also calls for an investigation to trace out the motives of the outfit and the real people behind it.

When approached by The News, Ali Hashmi, who is associated with this organization, said his party was registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The electoral body’s intervention is also called to de-register the party without any delay for propagating martial law.

When pointed out that while registering the party, it had sworn on oath to protect and abide by the Constitution but it was campaigning for violation of the Constitution, he said that to save Pakistan was dearer to him than the basic document. The prime minister remained in London for 40 days and the army ran Pakistan, he opined.

When asked about the money spent on the publicity material, he was unable to specify any amount. However, he said the banners have been displayed not only in Islamabad and Rawalpindi but all major cities of Pakistan including Karachi and Hyderabad. He said the number of posters was much more than 10,000, but he did not give any specific number. Similarly, he did not name any people attached with his organization.

Later as agreed during the telephonic conversation, a text message was sent to his cell but no answer was received. He was asked about the total number of posters being displayed across Pakistan; total expenses on the campaign; names, contact numbers, addresses and national identity card numbers of people who have donated money for this campaign along with details of money contributed.

—Originally published in The News

Originally published in