General Musharraf’s CV and bloody civilians – by Ali Raja

It’s always charming to remember good old Qudratullah Shahab. You talk about spirituality, you talk about crisis, you talk about politics, in short you talk about any aspect of intellect, he jumps into your memories from the galaxies of Shahab Nama. Every time I overturn the pages of politics, I commend his experiences, his analysis and his inferences. More or less every move of our national life finds its space in Shahab Nama.

Here is what I went through a few days ago:

“I went into Ayub Khan’s office. He seemed to be entangled and pressed. He hastily took some sips from his cup and said everyone says “History Repeats Itself” but no one tells that “History Repeats Itself In Reverse As Well.” Ten years ago these men from GHQ came to me saying that I must refrain from these politicians and continue to proceed under a martial law. Today they have come again with the advice that I must do all that I can to bring politicians on the board, there is no way out without them.”

This is what Qudratullah Shahab writes while remembering the demise of Ayub Khan.

They say ego has no space in politics and they say ego is all a solider owns so with a simple clause of substitution we can equate what they say. They say “A soldier has no place in politics.” Any one of us who has had an ego experience knows very well how it feels when ego breaks up and what to talk about a breed which enlists ego as it’s only fortune.

Leaving politics aside and being a human for some time I really feel sorry for Ayub Khan after reading those lines. A decorated General, self declared Field Martial, Chief Martial Law Administrator, Constitution in himself, owner of the dark and day, emperor of a country and what comes next? A day when he is pushed to the wall, a day when not even the slightest glimpse of hope appears, a day when he is to bow down to the politicians he came in abusing, a day when he has to justify before the maggots of politics and a day when he has to beg them for another chance and what is the outcome. They refuse!!!! The Field Martial has to surrender and walk away with with nothing but broken ego. Sad isn’t it? What to say, he asked for it.

Just a few days ago that little human inside me woke up with a yawn of sympathies. I once again felt piety for some, someone I hated the most, someone I wanted to be dead, someone I wished never would have existed, someone by the name of General (r) Pervez Musharraf.

Despite all my hatred for that beast I could not resist from feeling sorry for him. It’s not my fault after all I am a “bloody civilian” and we “bloody civilians” have some limits in hatred too. What happened at The 2010 GHQ’s “KINGRI HOUSE” was enough for me to feel sad. Don’t curse me, you will follow if you have a closer look.

I still remember the 12th day of October 2010 when that angry young man hopped in. An SSG jacket with a tough look on the face, he seemed to be in a mood of turning things around. I still remember his first speech in which he sat on an M-27 and bombarded the political grounds in Islamabad.

Incompetent, Corrupt, Traitors and what not. General Musharraf accused the politicians of this country with each and every mean he knew. Politicians were the dirtiest, filthiest and the most disgusting creature on planet earth. In 50 long years they have looted Pakistan and brought it to the brink of demise. Now that the survivors have marched in they will set things up for the nation.

After this welcome note he realized that in publishing his “Pakistan First” magazine he would be in a need of co-editors as well and in a country like Pakistan co-editors love to work under “Khaki Ink” and so the Big Boss began. “Amongst these maggots there must be some “less slimy” ones and it is up to me me to dig them out”.

I still remember that “operation scrutiny”. Going into details would be hectic. I will just quote an example case. Politicians who were dying to serve the nation by head and heart under a Messiah were trying their utmost to reach their Sidratul Mutaha. They were using every source they knew and “Applications for Service” were bundling up in GHQ. That is when their prayers turned fruitful.

General (r) Pervez Musharraf began the recruitment. Then GOC Murree Major General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani began the interviews of Kashmiri Aspirants. One after the other they came and affirmed their dedication to the cause and faith fullness to the Big Boss. After interviewing all, the GOC compiled his report and handed it over to Lieutenant General Jamshed Gulzar Kayani the then Corps Commander Rawalpindi. The Corps Commander after having received the reports from all his divisions assembled a merged up package of his recommendations. All the GOCs around the country did the same and so did the Corps Commanders. The Big Boss then after a thorough observation held the final round of interviews and selected his playing 11. This was the glimpse of an incoming Pervez Musharraf.

Now let us have a look at the marched out solider, a soldier who had to remove his skin (that is what he called his uniform), a soldier who had to see the rivals inside his line, a soldier who had to surrender, a soldier who had to resign and a soldier who had to run away from the line of fire. He tried to turn this amnesty into an opportunity and launched another Muslim League this time with the name of APML. Unfortunately he had no NAB for pressurization, no funds to distribute and no ISI for the rigging. Therefore his party could move ahead of TV screens.

Then there came a gust of cool breeze from the east, the Muslim League. His beloved ex-love, which was dug six feet under by the Pakistani nation started to cripple again. The Muslim Leagues started to warm up as they always do under the GHQ umbrella. Fortunately enough all these survivors of nation were the very people who had passed the ISSB in 2000 and had the privilege of serving under the Messiah. Though their treatment was not fair enough with the jolly old fellow but Pervez Musharraf is known to be optimistic. Unfortunately he was completely unaware of the verse:-

mere pass se guzar ker mera haal tak na pucha
men yeh kaise maan jaun ke woh door ja ke roe

The retired General decided to hit the ball the last time. Very cleverly he realised that old days have passed away. With no uniform, no funds, no NAB and no ISI it would be hard playing the knock in the same manner. In a very obedient manner he decided run the other way. This time it was him moving for the walk-in interview.

With a lowered head he was ready for a “Pagara Seal” on his back and bowed before the Kingri House. All the Retired General wanted was an induction as a “rengrot” in Pagara Brigade, another chance to breathe, another chance to eat, even in a left out plate but Alas!!!!”

History repeats itself in reverse as well”, and Pervez Musharraf was the Mian Azhar of 2010. At the eve of the meeting of the “Grand Alliance” Barrister Saif and Maj. Gen. (R) Rashid Qureshi marched in and with both knees on the ground pleaded their aspirations to be heard but these “Bloody Civilians.” The bloody civilian, however, may be illiterate and dumb about the M-27s and F-16s but are clever enough to avoid riding a dead horse. General (r) Pervez Musharraf was not even given a walk-in interview and the CV was stamped as “Below the Merit.” I fell piety for the poor guy but he asked for it.

When will they learn that “soldiers are not made for politics”. Though a bit weak in Urdu language, our former savior in Khaki may wish to recite the verse:

silsale tore gia woh sabhi jate jate
warna itne tu marasim the keh ate jate

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