A year of Naya Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan shall be completing one year of office next month. He has just returned from the US after meeting President Trump where the entire global community is bewildered by Trump's much-fabricated disclosure that Prime Minister Modi had told him to arbiter or mediate in Kashmir to resolve the outstanding despite between India and Pakistan. Nothing could be more akin to fantasy than such brash statement as it is universally known that India, with the spirit of the Shimla Agreement and Lahore declaration, is decidedly committed on a bilateral approach to iron out the creases. Trump's statement has made Imran buoyant and his body language emits a false sense of overconfidence that his actions stand condoned by Trump.

Upon his return to Islamabad, Imran Khan who is infamously labelled as the selected Prime Minister, and not an elected one, is living up to his acquired nomenclature. This is, principally, because of his extraordinary proximity to the military establishment and the ISI. Both these arms' chiefs accompanied Imran to the US ostensibly for the trust deficit and possibly also to demonstrate to the world that the civilian government and the military views are convergent. In reality, however, it is doubtful if the Pakistan

Prime Minister is allowed by the deep state to exercise his own discretion or pursue his party's external or internal policies. At the same time, it can be safely construed that its the military which is calling the shots.

In this context, it will not be out of place to mention that Imran Khan is well disposed towards giving another extension to the present Army chief, General Bajwa as Imran perhaps feels comfortable or politically secure under the military dispensation. This development is reminiscent when Pervez Musharraf oversaw Gen Ashfaq Kayani's extension of the term. In both cases, tackling terror was given the pretence.

Talking of terror, it is significant to note that the Pakistani Prime Minister, while addressing an audience at the US Institute of Peace Studies during his recent US trip, admitted the presence of 40,000 militants in Pakistan. This statement seems to justify the cooperation of Pakistan army in addressing the terror menace. Presence of such a large number of militants (terrorists), poses a real threat and increases the vulnerability of an increase in cross border terrorism most likely in Kashmir.

Upbeat with his US visit, and assurances by Trump to mediate in Kashmir as also fresh reports suggesting a soft approach towards a reconsideration of sale and technical support to F-16 aircraft, Imran Khan had a telephonic chat with President Erdogan of Turkey after his return. Both discussed regional security issues and Kashmir was touched upon. Both leaders also talked about the modalities of Turkey-Pakistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation (HLSLC) and modalities on Pakistan-Turkey-Malaysia trilateral process and ways to move forward. This emerging axis is more than what meets the eye. This looks significant. Further, Erdogan expressed sympathies over the terror strikes in Pakistan and the loss of lives.

While evaluating Imran Khan's 'progress' report in the last one year, it is sad to note that two major institutions in the country, the judiciary and the media have been subverted with severity and the political opponents are being subjected to harsh measures of political vendetta.

Talking about the judiciary, those judges awarding verdicts deemed to be against the government, are being targeted and knowledgable circles reckon that it is the military and the ISI who are controlling them keeping a close and hawkish eye on their judgments. Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court incurred the wrath of the regime as he had pulled up the military establishment and cautioned them to remain within the confines of the constitution. He had the courage of conviction in giving a verdict on Quetta terror blasts passing strictures even against the ISI. Isa also came under the ISI scanner for his judgment on the infamous Faizabad siege incident when the whole episode was calibrated by the ISI to weaken the Nawaz Sharif government. Present ISI chief, Faiz Hameed, then a two-star General, was seen distributing money to protestors.

Another case citing interference in the judiciary is Islamabad High Court's order asking the Pakistani Law Ministry to remove the National Accountability Judge, Arshad Malik who had allegedly confessed in a video being under tremendous pressure and blackmailed to convict Nawaz Sharif in a corruption case.

Like Judiciary, the Pakistani media, too, is closely monitored by the ISI/military to report according to the government's expectations. This is becoming glaringly noticeable. Geo TV complained about its interviews taken off the air without any warning or notice. Earlier, 'Dawn' correspondent, Cyril Almeida faced charges of treason for publishing an interview (July 2018) of Nawaz Sharif where the latter had demanded trial of perpetrators of Mumbai terror attacks of 2008.

Imran Khan regime, in active collaboration with the deep state, is out to finish off all his political adversaries. High profile politicians like Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Asif Ali Zardari are all victims of a more than visible political vendetta in the name of corruption. There does not seem to be any end to this trend, so detrimental to any democratic process. And the modus operandi of the government is getting modelled in the functioning of a military regime.

It is sad that President Trump chose to ignore these negativities while receiving Imran Khan at the White House. The civil liberties are on the brink of a total collapse in Pakistan and if the Americans are hoping of any investment in Imran Khan to get his good offices in controlling the Afghan Taliban, they are sadly mistaken. Terrorism in Pakistan has all the signs of flourishing further under their uniformed mentors. They do not seem to rein in the terrorists nor have the willingness either within or in Afghanistan. The acrimonious exchange of tweets by Trump deriding Pakistan, not very long ago, and threatening to hasten action against the terrorists following FATF strictures, now stand to evaporate in thin air. Public memory is too short. Americans are under an illusion that if Pakistan panders and its military is kept in good humour, it could get its wish list fulfilled. Its a mirage in the real sense of the term.

(The author is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Mauritius. The views expressed are strictly personal)