Evolving Military Fascism in Pakistan

Article

 

Evolving Military Fascism in Pakistan, what is waiting for new COAS? And Future of Coming Generations

 

This Article is written by Serving Senior Army Officer

 

Fascism can be explained differently by different people. In the context of Pakistan, it has following elements: -

1. Deep social crisis which is threatening existing social hierarchy.

2. Super hero role adopted by the Army Chief Bajwa at the cost of other institutions resulting in inferiority complex amongst others

3. Authoritarian- police state style.

4. Ban on freedom of expression

5. Existence of non-state actors and irrelevant people in the decision-making process of the state

6. Militarised rhetoric with fake narrative

7. People in top brass are intrinsically fascists

 

After understanding the elements of fascism in Pakistan, today, we are known around the world as an undemocratic, corrupt and violent nation-state which got its freedom through democratic struggle. Presently, power elite with elite media are promoting the fake narrative through fake news where issues of common men are rarely discussed or mentioned. This all is has been practised with blessings of Gen Bajwa and few of his sycophants at the top brass tarnishing the complete image of the Pak Army. Bajwa Doctrine made every state institution overshadowed including the executive and parliament of the country resulting in controversies overshadowing the reputation of institution itself. Under Bajwa Doctrine, attempts were made to harm provincial autonomy under 18th Amendment, Parliamentarians were made to look like a commodity item available for certain amount for any business, Judiciary has been subdued and it is working at its lowest ebb under the Bajwa. Hate is being injected in the people of Pakistan because of the role of Gen Bajwa in an attempt to control every facet of the state. Land mafias have been promoted and intelligence services have been abused through their mis-use. Today’s narrative: if top brass is rich, then the nation is rich, but not vice versa. Regime change Operation led by Gen Bajwa has destroyed the economy of the country. Democracy and democratic norms have almost ceased to exist. May 25th Episode was extreme manifestation of evolving military fascism in Pakistan. PML-N resistance was scuttled successfully, but military has failed to do the same with PTI led protests in the country. Failure to scuttle led to assassination attempt on IK and Arshad Sharif. Media is being strangulated which is unprecedented in the recent history of Pakistan. Objective was to create new wave of violence to take over the remaining democratic system for the vested interests.

Very foundation of the state has been weakened once Army takes up arms against its own people and this time it was provoked that Army takes up arms against the people of the Punjab. Still efforts are being made to control all sections of the society through threat of violence or violence. Gen Bajwa policies multiplied political polarisation and a kind of turbulence in the society which has imbalanced almost all tiers of the state. Corruption within the top brass including Army Chief’s own relatives have been kept off the public purview and politicians are declared to be corrupt without any discrimination. Lastly, efforts are undergoing to feed the media that all politicians and nation is corrupt, thus, it does not require any effort to even reduce the malpractices. In fact, Bajwa Doctrine has proven to be a self-destructive valve within the military to destroy the very image of the Army. This shall be haunting new Army Chief and political party leaders including Imran Khan in the months to come.