Editorial: Pakistan’s new army boss

The new chief has his task cut out and will have to wade into the country's political crisis almost immediately upon taking charge next week.

Hyderabad: A stable Pakistan is in the best interest of India. But, when the neighbour is caught in turbulence, political instability and social strife, the impact is bound to be felt across the border. Moreover, the unique feature of this bilateral relationship is that it hinges more on who is at the helm of the all-powerful Pakistani army than who is the prime minister. In this context, the appointment of Lt Gen Asim Munir as the army chief, succeeding General Qamar Javed Bajwa, carries significance not just for Pakistan’s internal civilian-military dynamics but also for India which is waiting for the hostile neighbour to put an end to its long-held policy of nurturing anti-India terror groups. Munir, a former chief of the ISI, has his task cut out and will have to wade into the country’s political crisis almost immediately upon taking charge next week. His appointment comes against the backdrop of a crisis of confidence following a bitter and open dispute between the military and former prime minister Imran Khan, who partly blames the army for his ouster. Never in the country’s history was the change of guard at Rawalpindi marked by so much tension and uncertainty. Munir’s ascension comes at an unenviable time: deep polarisation has fractured the polity; the economy is in a shambles; public anger over economic mismanagement is at its peak. The new army chief needs to resist the temptation of “going beyond the mandate”— a euphemism for a military takeover. His predecessor Bajwa had made a promise that his institution would stay apolitical. Muni’s major task is to ensure civilian supremacy in all spheres of governance.

Munir headed the ISI when the Pulwama bombing took place, and subsequently, was the man behind the scenes in the release of fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman. As he settles down in his new job and seeks to re-establish army’s pre-eminence in his country’s public affairs, India needs to keep its guard up and watch the developments in the coming months closely. As the ISI head, he had rubbed then prime minister Imran Khan on the wrong side. Naturally, his elevation is expected to anger Imran who has been pushing for an early national election. After being ousted from power, Imran still enjoys the support of the majority of Pakistanis, as was evident from the recent by-elections to Parliament, in which his party won 6 of the 8 seats. For India, Bajwa’s tenure was a complex mix: he had openly disapproved of Nawaz Sharif’s attempts to make peace with India but four years later, the General had himself extended a hand of peace and indicated that Pakistan should resume trade with India. It was under him that the Pakistan army came to an agreement with the Indian army to strictly maintain the 2003 ceasefire along the Line of Control.

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