Gen Bajwa defends Army’s decision to remain ‘apolitical’
ISLAMABAD: A day ahead his retirement, Pakistan’s Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that his decision to keep the military establishment “apolitical” will shield it “from the vagaries of politics” in the coup-prone country.
Gen Bajwa, 61, will retire on Tuesday after a three- year extension.
Pakistan has appointed Lt Gen Asim Munir as the new Army chief to succeed incumbent Gen Bajwa.
He emphasised that the Pakistan Army has restricted its role “to its constitutional mandated task only by deciding to make it apolitical”. “This decision, though being viewed negatively by a segment of society and led to personal criticism, will facilitate in reinvigorating and strengthening democratic culture, assisting in supporting state organs to effectively perform and deliver. Above all, this decision will help enhance the army’s prestige in the long term,” Gen Bajwa said in an interview with the UAE-based newspaper Gulf News.
On Wednesday, in his final public address as Pakistan’s Army chief, Gen Bajwa said the military establishment’s “unconstitutional” interference in politics over the past 70 years was the reason why it drew criticism from the general masses and politicians.
“The Pakistan Army had always remained a dominant player in national decisionmaking. Due to its historic role in the country’s politics, the military drew criticism from the public and politicians alike,” he said in the interview.
His statement comes as the military establishment has in recent months reiterated that it has decided to remain apolitical. The statements from the Army’s top brass came amid accusations that it meddles in the country’s politics, often favouring one political party or the other.
Gen Bajwa opined that public support and affinity towards the armed forces tended to erode when the military was seen to be involved in political affairs.