Tugging the strings of freedom
PAKISTAN HAS A STRANGLEHOLD ON SERVING AND RETIRED MILITARY OFFICERS, PLACING A MANDATORY MILITARY CLEARANCE PRIOR TO APPEARING ON TV
Pakistan seemed rattled by the electronic media and visibly wary of their defence analysts (retired military and
ISI officials). They made it mandatory for all military officers, both serving and retired, to seek prior clearance to appear before any panel discussions
Pulwama terror attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based Jaishe-muhammad (JEM) killing more than 40 CRPF personnel on February 14 has led to a situation of war frenzy between India and Pakistan. The events started unfolding in a perilous manner with aerial combats and much more than that, dragging the two countries on the brink of war. Fortunately, there were quick steps taken for de-escalation; the Indian Air Force pilot who was captured, got released, and things, therefore, calmed down before they could go out of control.
As things were getting tensed on both sides of the border, acrimonious TV debates started with panellists shouting at highest decibels using unparliamentary language. The tone and tenor of the participants, including many of retired two to three-star Generals belonging to both, Indian and Pakistani armies, appeared baying for the blood of their adversaries. This was clearly evident in their body language. Minimum civility in the conversation was conspicuous by its absence. It was an aggressive exchange of war of words and each military panellist was speaking as a ‘Defence Analyst’. It is a different thing altogether if some of them are qualified to be an analyst at all. It was worse on Pakistani TV channels (Print media was equally hostile) when rhetoric used by supposedly disciplined officers were far, far below the level of minimum decency.
Amidst this scenario, Pakistan seemed rattled by the electronic media and visibly wary of their defence analysts (retired military or ISI officials). They instructed (on April 14) the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) making mandatory for all military officers, both serving and retired, to seek prior clearance to appear before any panel discussions. This was surely a panic reaction.
Meanwhile, more specifically, retired Pakistani Lt Gen Asad Durrani (chief of ISI from 1990-92), was formally banned from appearing in media programmes ostensibly on charges of collaborating with ex Indian RAW chief, AS Dulat in jointly churning out
a book “Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the illusion of peace”. It is certain that Asad Durrani has fallen out of favour of the Deep State which is virtually ruling the country with an iron hand.
Things didn’t end here. Restrictions on appearing on TV channels by Lt Gen (retd) Talat Masood, Maj Gen (retd) Athar Abbas, Maj Gen (retd) Rashid Qureshi, Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah and Major (retd) Amir have been imposed. Here, it may be recapitulated that soon after Pulwama terror attack, Gen Durrani was held guilty of the military code of conduct on charges of co-authoring the Spy book with Dulat.
PEMRA, which is de facto controlled by the ISI, has issued a detailed notification through its operations wing vide letter number 13(89)/ops /2018 dated April 4 and has further notified that on news channels, military officers are barred from writing Defence analysts. Only ‘analyst’ can be written. Such an order is signed by Muhammad Tahir, General Manager (Operations), Broadcast Media. It is therefore established that military set up in Pakistan has tightened its hold on the retired military lot so as not to allow any remark seen to be pro-india or anti-pakistan.
Some well-known strategists have described Pakistan as a Praetorian State where the military plays a dominant role in political structures and institutions and controls the national discourse. The PEMRA order, as discussed above, directs all TV channels to seek Military’s prior clearance. Freedom of media stands stifled and so does freedom of speech. This is indeed a sad commentary on the dreams of a Naya Pakistan. Pakistan can easily take a leaf out of India’s book on the extent of liberty exercised in India where no restrictions exist in writing Defence Analysts. And that’s the real democracy.
(The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and the former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Mauritius. The views expressed are strictly personal)