The Retreat of the Military Regime

By Farooq Tariq, General Secretary, Labor Party Pakistan

There was nothing “humanitarian” in the release of Nawaz Sharif as claimed by Major-General Rashid Quereshi, the chief spokesman of the military regime. The decision had nothing to do with the deteriorating “health” of Nawaz as the military authorities had shown little or no concern for the ex-Prime Minister’s health in the past.

The main reason for the military regime’s decision to let Nawaz go off the hook was also not a request of clemency or intervention by the Saudi Prince as has been claimed by the media. On the contrary, it was the growing threat posed by the ARD and its decision to launch a mass movement that prompted the military regime to send Nawaz into exile. And the corps commanders agreed to do what was unexpected of them a few months ago.

Surely, the decision to release Nawaz represents a retreat on the part of a weakening military government. It is, in fact, the government’s second decisive retreat during the last few months. Earlier, the military regime had to abandon its plan to build the controversial Kala Bagh Dam.

The military has lost what it had gained when it came to power - public support evidenced by “a sense of relief” heaved by the masses when the Sharif Government was overthrown.