New Delhi: The protests that have broken out in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are a clear signal of how badly the Pakistan Army is collapsing due to rising corruption.
The army has managed to keep the issue under wraps for long, in a bid to protect its corrupt officials, but now the people have taken to the streets and are fighting back.
The issue of corruption in the Pakistan Army, over which the people are fighting, is not limited to PoK, but it extends up to Balochistan, too.
Despite the internet being cut and phone services suspended, news regarding the protests in PoK has reached the entire world. At least 2 people were killed and 22 others were injured after the police opened fire in PoK.
While there are longstanding issues, such as the development of the region, Indian officials say that the people of Pakistan are fed up with the brazen corruption in the Pakistan Army. One of the biggest issues in the army that the people are now flagging is the culture of commission, whether arms deals or developmental works.
The Pakistan Army, for long, had roped in retired officials to deal with the middlemen and take commission. All this was not visible to the public and the rest of the world since the retired officials were working behind the scenes.
There is no doubt that the Pakistan Army is the most powerful institution in Pakistan. Today, it has a puppet in the form of Shehbaz Sharif, and hence, this racket that it undertakes has become even easier.
In 2015, Pakistan signed one of the biggest deals for a naval project called the Hangar-class submarine programme. This deal was estimated at around $5 billion. However, the details of this deal remain sketchy, and no information has even been given to the Parliament or the public.
However, the Pakistan Army has not just been complicit in giving information about defence deals. The corruption even extends to housing and land. Schemes such as the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) have made the Pakistan Army the biggest property developer in the country. The DHA, which runs into millions of dollars, has managed to escape scrutiny, as a result of which corruption is at an all-time high.
The DHA has a special legal status that protects it from government oversight. This has enabled the Pakistan Army officials to indulge in large-scale corruption. These issues have not only irked the public, but a section within the army as well.
Indian officials say that corruption has peaked the most under Field Marshal Asim Munir. Recently, a letter that was issued in the name of The Guardians of Honour exposed the uneasy calm within the army. The letter accuses Munir of incompetence, corruption and political oppression.
The crisis was reportedly sparked off due to the standoff with former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the court-martial of Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, former head of the ISI.
While Asim Munir has largely managed to put down dissent, the mask is currently wearing off. An Intelligence assessment on the situation in Pakistan suggests that the protests in Balochistan and PoK could be turning points for Munir and his men. There is no sign of the protests in both regions dying down, and the situation could get only worse in the days to come.
Further, the army also fears that these issues, particularly corruption, political interference and development, could spill into the major cities of the country. The army would no doubt try and put down the dissent with the use of massive force.
However, it is also mindful of the events that have taken place in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Further, it has also realised that it is having the worst time in Balochistan. It has faced embarrassment on several occasions apart from incurring huge losses.
These are clear indications that the clout is gradually wearing out, and the army would need to gear up for tough days ahead.
(IANS)
