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The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Flyer

Air Marshal (Retd) Asghar Khan, Chief of Tehrik-i-Istiqlal (TI), has recently written a letter to the Head of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA), Ms Benazir Bhutto, severing the relationship established in the autumn of 1990 to fight the IJI in the October 1990 elections. While the Air Marshal participated whole-heartedly in the anti-Ghulam Ishaq Khan/Nawaz Sharif campaign till November 1992, it was clear that he had reservations about the Ms Bhutto-conceived Long Marches. However, it was the newly formed Bhutto relationship with Ghulam Ishaq Khan in April 1993 that seemed to upset Asghar Khan to the point of eventual parting. It was clear that while he was determined to unseat what he perceived to be a fraudulently elected government, he felt that a show of force would bring about a confrontation that would bring third forces into the fray. He considered that democratic dialogue could be held with Nawaz Sharif as opposed to GIK, the epitome of the Establishment. Ms Bhutto was single-mindedly pursuing one Aim, the holding of mid-term elections and in maintenance of that Aim she had successfully created a cleavage between GIK and Nawaz Sharif by first negotiating with the latter and then feeding on the fears of the former by embellishing on the dialogue as a Nawaz Sharif-means to rid the country of GIK’s Presidency. Whatever may be her methods to achieve her ends, she has been eminently successful. To quote Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1976), “In politics as in high finance, duplicity is a virtue”. Unfortunately for the well-respected former Chief of the Pakistan Air Force, his total life is replete with a penchant for high morals and ideals, qualities that are in short supply in political persona all over the world, in Pakistan it is a rarity that qualifies the few as being “endangered species”.

By opting out of the mainstream alliance, Air Marshal Asghar Khan has again gone into the political cold, a situation with which this old flyer is quite familiar since his advent into politics. As reported by Altaf Gauhar, late President Ayub felt Asghar Khan to be more “dangerous” than Bhutto in the anti-Ayub campaign of 1968 as he would not enter into any dialogue that would compromise any move towards genuine democracy. In a sense this was a compliment of sorts because Ayub equated Bhutto with other politicians and therefore malleable, having served with Asghar Khan in the Armed Forces he well knew that this man’s integrity could not be subverted or compromised. One must hasten to add that late Bhutto also remained intransigent about any compromise during this period.

For Asghar Khan, destiny seems to be always around the corner. As the longest serving (and first Pakistani) C-in-C of the PAF, it was he who built up the Air Force into a magnificent fighting machine. To his credit he also kept the PAF out of politics, thus avoiding the debilitating effect that it had in the upper levels of Army hierarchy and subsequently its fighting efficiency of the leadership class. Ayub removed the last true professional in the upper echelons of the Army, Lt Gen Habibullah Khan, the then Chief of Staff, a post also abolished simultaneously. He then turned the Army into unquestioned obedience of his bidding and thus into a sustained political role in the decade post-1958. On the other hand Air Marshal Asghar Khan encouraged his professionals and protected them from “political contamination”. It is significant that barring one exception, Air Chief Marshal Shamim, who along with his wife remained a controversial figure, PAF has been known for having men of great integrity, character and professionalism in its upper hierarchy throughout its history, even those that did not become Chiefs. Men of the intellect, dedication and dynamism of Air Marshal Nur Khan, Air Marshal Ayaz Ahmad Khan, Air Chief Marshal Jamal, etc do not just grow on trees, they are a product of a system inculcated by Asghar Khan, a system that recognises talent and merit, and rewards these qualities.

Leaving the PAF on July 23, 1965 six weeks before the 1965 war, the Air Marshal had the satisfaction of seeing the well honed Air Force take on overwhelming odds under his successor, Air Marshal Nur Khan, and beat the Indian Air Force virtually into the ground. Without taking credit away from Nur Khan (after all the leadership, planning and conduct of a successful 1965 campaign was his) one can also not take away the fact that the efficiency and capability of the Air Force was built up over years of dedicated effort.

In politics, Air Marshal Asghar Khan has followed an unerring course of not compromising with his principles, an achievement that may have ensured his integrity but has not contributed to political success. Almost a quarter century after entering politics, Asghar Khan displays the same indomitable will (and stubbornness if you will), a propensity to take on unsurmountable odds if that is the correct thing to do, if not the pragmatic political course to take. He was almost the sole voice of reason at the upper political level in Pakistan in the events leading upto and in the 1971 crisis, at the risk of being called a “traitor”, he decried the army action and called for a political settlement. In Pakistan at that time, there was a near hysterical, chauvinistic approach to the East Pakistan problem and it took a man of great character and courage to spell out in those days what two decades later we know to be an absolutely correct stance. At a critical moment in the history of finest experiment in nationhood of its time, the most honest, upright and clearheaded leader was a solitary figure of contempt and ridicule. Such is the lot of those who are more equal than others as regards strength of character.

In the two decades since, Asghar Khan has been a central figure in the Opposition. It is safe to presume that he was offered inducements many times to quit his stance, he has been persecuted and imprisoned at will, his family has had commensurate suffering. Both his son and son-in-law suffered periods of administrative pressure in various modes. During this sustained process he learnt to be more pragmatic, to compromise to an extent with his fellow political sufferers for a common purpose, in order to present a solid front against the Establishment. He has immense stature among his countrymen, this has meant that he has carried a larger political clout than his actual following in any one constituency, in the Armed Forces itself he has always been universally respected. As an anti-Establishment figure he has never been allowed near government, the bureaucracy is deathly scared that he will be like the proverbial bull in their carefully preserved and corrupt China shop. Asghar Khan has accountability written all over him, that is not something that arouses popularity among the corrupt and greedy.

Whatever the precise reasons for parting ways with the PDA, the Air Marshal must have had cause to do so. Other politicians could have compromised, particularly at this juncture maybe he could have come to terms because of extenuating circumstances in a more pragmatic manner. One feels sorry that he should lose the support of a major political group when he could have been odds-on favourite to be the perfect PDA Presidential candidate. While it is true that either the NA Speaker Gohar Ayub Khan or an ANP nominee will probably be the PML/IJI choice, there will be much more combined opposition to them than this man with proven democratic credentials. Asghar Khan may or may not win a seat in any NA or PA constituency but he along with Nawaz Sharif and Ms Benazir are the ones most likely to be elected President if at any time a direct vote is held in the country for the post of President, such is the potential and capability of the man in the eyes of the people of Pakistan. The Air Marshal has conducted a long political struggle in the quarter century since doffing his uniform. He may well feel the loneliness of the long-distance runner in staying with his principles but if it is any comfort to him, at least some of us are proud that leaders like him still exist in this country.

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