Former President of Pakistan, General (R) Pervez Musharraf, is surely not a ‘traitor’ as was further borne out by the verdict given by the Lahore High Court on January 13, 2020. The LHC’s judgement declared unconstitutional all actions taken by the previous government against Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf is the former Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Army and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He served the Pakistan Army for well for over 40 years during which he was eminent in fighting various wars for the country. The General has an outstanding track record, and can by no means be described as a ‘traitor’. The Pervez Musharraf trial was nothing but an aberration of the law. It was also a morale dampener for the Pakistan Armed Forces. These officers and men are constantly engaged in a war to protect the nation’s frontiers. From the ordinary Jawan to the highest ranking officer, they are all fighting in all sorts of conditions – from the sweltering heat of blistering deserts to the world’s toughest cold weather conditions, such as the below-freezing heights of Kargil and Siachin. They are laying down their lives or losing their limbs, no questions asked, because the Sipah-e-Salaar ordered them to defend the country at all costs. The expression ‘unity of command’ could not be more effectively displayed anywhere else as in the case of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Along with being highly motivated and obedient fighters, Pakistan’s soldiers are also beloved sons, fathers, husbands and brothers but they do not flinch for a moment and are always ready to fight and die under orders of their commander, if called upon to do so. It is then quite unfortunate to see that their high morale is severely bashed and they have the psychological feeling of betrayal because the very Sipah-e-Salaar, for whom they are laying down their lives, is being called a ‘traitor’. By extension, the entire force should then be considered traitors because they are following a traitor’s orders. This is an attitude that has severely shaken the fighting and disciplinary spirit of the Pakistan Armed Forces – though it has been recognized as one of the finest fighting forces in the world. In recent years, the Pakistan Armed Forces have become more battle-hardened than any other army in the world as they have successfully combated and defeated those terrorist elements that had caused the deaths of more 70,000 soldiers and civilians and whose mindless attacks have caused losses of several billions of dollars to Pakistan’s economy.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf, while he was President of Pakistan, only imposed an Emergency in 2007 to control the country’s administrative situation that was getting out of hand. What he got in return, by a section of politicians, was the allegation of high treason and the title of ‘traitor’ under Article 6 of Pakistan’s Constitution. Another South Asian leader, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, imposed an emergency in India in 1975, but she was never declared a traitor or charged with high treason. Was this because she was a civilian? Did Gen. Musharraf face the allegation of high treason and called a traitor because he was a military man?

The history of the Indian sub-continent is replete with many examples of military commanders who took similar actions as General Musharraf to direct governance of the people on constructive lines through military interference so that the country would be ridden of corruption and the looting of national wealth by a handful of politicians. Even the great poet Ghalib has said somewhere that while he enjoyed writing poetry, his past generations had followed the profession of soldiering.

In light of the recent LHC verdict, it is now incumbent on the PTI government to move a constitutional amendment in the Parliament for the word ‘ghaddar’ or ‘traitor’ to be permanently removed from the Constitution of Pakistan and another term be used in its place, such as ‘wrong-doer’, ‘offender’, etc. Article 6 should also be amended on similar lines. Pakistan’s major political parties, such as PML-N, PML-Q, PTI, PPP, ANP, JUI-F, MQM, BNP, JI, etc. need to come together for the amendment because the Pakistan Armed Forces are a national asset and do not belong to any particular party. These political parties have already joined forces for such causes as extension of the Services Chiefs or appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner. They can do so in this case as well.

Syed Jawaid Iqbal
President & Editor in Chief