Triumph of merit
Lt Gen Jehangir Karamat, the Chief of General Staff (CGS) Pakistan Army, has been designated as the new COAS by the President, being promoted to the rank of General immediately but to take over as COAS on the retirement of General Abdul Waheed on January 12, 1996. This has set to rest months of speculation about this critical appointment.
Much has been said about the desired attributes of a likely COAS. Since Gen Jehangir Karamat is the first COAS who has made it to the top slot on merit and no other consideration, for once the interests of the country got priority over other extraneous factors. There is a wider dimension to this appointment, the President has come of age. One can well understand the pressures that must have been put on him on behalf of vested interest, in the end Farooq Leghari has confirmed what we had belatedly come to realize, he is now beyond Party considerations and has opted to take on the national mantle of being President of all the people’s of Pakistan.
There have been many fine generals in the past but none made it beyond a certain fail-safe line purely on merit. Throughout his career, the new COAS has shunned cult and personality, in the final run many of us believed he would not make it simply because of a lack of an acute lobby. Even those who have no personal acquaintance with him have only been attracted to his personality by his reputation for honesty, integrity and professionalism. Since merit is a great disqualifier in the present state of society in Pakistan, that a man can make it to the top based on his qualities rather than his connections and influence-peddling augers well for this country and this Army. As a target of vicious propaganda unleashed by one of those in the run, Gen Jehangir Karamat impressed everyone by keeping his cool and not reacting to this “gentleman”. Within the Army his gentlemanly as well as soldierly traits have gained him such wide respect that almost everyone had come to believe that his professionalism would stand in the way of his promotion, such is the cynicism prevalent in our time.
There can be no doubt that he was Gen Waheed’s first and only choice. This was apparent when he moved from Corps Commander to the post of CGS in 1994 in preference of others. While Gen Waheed has been bad-mouthed by all and sundry for their own particular reasons, the promotions to higher rank within the Army he has affected in 1993, 1994 and 1995 have changed the face of this Army and given hope to those without influence. This has been a significant metamorphosis for the better that will only be apparent in the decade to come. One or two deserving people may have been desperately unlucky to have missed promotion because of the lack of available slots, almost all the promotions have been on merit and merit alone. That is a tremendous legacy to leave to posterity, not discounting the fact that despite pressure from both the President and the PM he has opted not to go for the extension offered. How many people are there who can walk away from such temptation? As a professional soldier he was not ready for the political turmoil he was thrust in during 1993 soon after he assumed the post of COAS, more particularly he was not ready for the intrigues of a few of his colleagues who had their own particular “agenda”. Once he had discovered their vested interest he set about righting some wrongs in his own dogged way. As an honest, upright man, Gen Waheed will be remembered for his grace in choosing the honourable course over the worldly ways of others. He will be remembered for leaving the Army with an excellent crop of sincere officers to serve this Army in the future, barring one sorry exception who has only a few months to serve. Gen Waheed’s tenure saw no hint of nepotism or favouritism of any kind, in fact he soon retired a few general officers who clearly stepped over the line or were notably undeserving. The political controversy notwithstanding, Gen Waheed will be remembered as a man of honour and integrity with a willingness to do the right thing.
The generals who lost out in the race were for the most part professional soldiers of integrity, they knew as well as anybody that in the end only one can make it to the top. Except for one “gentleman” who used all the machinations of his office to lobby for his cause, virtually prostrating himself before an influential lobby and thus debasing the honour of the Army, the others will retire honourably. This vindictive man will begin to see life after he doffs uniform and joins us mortals in the streets because he has much to answer for. Planting trees and rumours about his colleagues with equal dispatch, this man’s journey into retirement will be eagerly awaited, in short “he ain’t seen nothing yet”. While the old COAS was tough, the new COAS will have to use a wider broom to rid the Army of such manipulators and intriguers who delight in maligning others purely out of self-interest and motivated purpose. That this Army came to within a whisper of getting this despicable person as COAS means that the system needs further fine-tuning so that such people cannot be within easy reach of the top slot. The nation’s destiny cannot be entrusted to such people. In a sense Jehangir Karamat’s accession has not only been a triumph of merit over nepotism but one of good over evil. There have been a lot of celebrations over the appointment of a professional COAS, none as vociferous as among this man’s subordinates who felt the edge of his ambition like the sharp end of a whip.
Every new COAS has a tremendous opportunity, Gen Jehangir Karamat’s “karma” is to make us ready for the 21st century. This Army is Administration heavy, too many support troops, not enough combat troops at the leading edge. Along with rapid modernisation we need pragmatic re-organisation to become a leaner, tougher fighting force. He needs to further motivate his command and make them believe that nothing else matters but merit and professionalism of which he is a prime example. While known to be deeply apolitical, the COAS cannot be dumb, deaf and blind to the prevailing economic and political environment. Since he is primarily responsible for national security, this can deteriorate to Pakistan’s detriment if the national socio-economic fabric is further eroded. He cannot remain in isolation while Rome crumbles around him, as much as opportunity beckons the pitfalls also loom for which his training as a professional soldier may not be enough to stand him in good stead, particularly since he is a laid-back individual. However, he is a ray of hope in an island of gloom, more than him is the fact of his appointment. That it took place at all in the face of the known preferences of the vested interests is by itself a miracle. In this day and age, we can but only hope for a few more, please.
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