The opposition lawmakers in Senate on Thursday underscored the need for making the inquiry report on the Dawn Leaks public, terming the 'secret settlement' of the controversy between the government and military a dangerous move for national security.
Speaking on a motion moved by some 30 senators belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), they plainly stated if the issue was related to national security - a stance taken by the military for about eight months - then why the issue was swept under the carpet without punishing the culprits.
The withdrawal of the controversial tweet by DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor also remained centre of discussion, as treasury senators called it a step forward towards supremacy of the Parliament while opposition called it a 'wheeling-dealing.' However, Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani said the federal government and the military must not be equated as army is a subordinate institution, which directly comes under the Defence Ministry. "I just can't understand that you people are trying to equate the federal government and the military. Why is this juxtaposition?" he questioned.
Opposition Leader in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said that in a country where a defence minister could be seen walking behind an army chief, the rules become redundant, and this is what is taking place in this country. Senator Farhatullah Babar of PPPP said the withdrawal of DG ISPR's tweet and closure of potentially destabilising Dawn Leak saga is a matter of satisfaction but it is important to learn appropriate lessons from it to avert clash among state institutions in future.
"If the report of a meeting in Prime Minister's House had indeed breached national security, what about the January 17 report in the Times of London of a garrison meeting in Kharian," he asked. Reading out from The Time's report, he said that it claimed that "Tensions have emerged within Pakistan's military with officers concerned that their powerful army is losing its superiority and standing."
The Times report even listed asked questions, claiming also that in reply the army chief told the officers, "You do your job and let me do mine," said Babar and asked, "Why is this hypocrisy, what's sauce for the goose must also be sauce for the gander." He asked: "And did Nawaz Sharif not go too far when donning black coat he knocked at Supreme Court against the supreme commander of armed forces, the President, in the so-called Memogate case."
Even the then serving army chief and chief of ISI at the time petitioned against their supreme commander in the Supreme Court, he said, adding it is such thoughtless and ill-advised actions of politicians that encourage unelected and undemocratic elements.
Senator Azam Swati of PTI questioned why it was discussed out of proportion if this was going to be the end result of the Dawn leaks, adding if the sole purpose was to settle the score by removing tiny bureaucrats and a minister, why it was linked to national security?
Senator Usman Kakar of PkMAP said if the country had any security risk, there surfaced always two names - Yahya Khan and General Ziaul Haq, adding Pakistan was disintegrated when the former was in power while the latter put the future of the country at stake by "promoting religious bigotry".
He said that civilians always claim both civil and military leadership are on the same page and if so, the ISPR should tell the nation through a tweet that there is no issue between the Khakis and the civilians. Nehal Hashmi, Salim Zia and Dr Ghous Baksh Niazi of ruling PML-N were all praise for both civilian and military leadership to settle the lingering issue, which had become a bone of contention for the ruling elite for the last over eight months.
Hafiz Hamdullah of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) said he was unable to understand how the issue got settled, saying whether it was 'solved, settled, managed or buried through a wheeling-dealing.' Referring to the remarks of the DG ISPR during a press conference in which he had said that it was a T20 match and seventeen overs are gone and three are yet to be played, he said, it is a clear indication that the issue was buried without punishing the real culprits.
Senator Ahmed Hassan of PPPP said that civil-military relations could not be strengthened through 'give and take' policy. The chairman Senate also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform the adviser to prime minister on foreign affairs to brief the house on the following five issues: the Arab Islamic Summit in which US President Donald Trump is going to participate where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is also invited; warning by Iranian army chief to hit militants inside Pakistan; Chinese envoy to India who hinted at changing CPEC name, besides speaking on Kashmir issue; tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan; and Indian's appeal at International Court for Justice for its spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Sheikh said the adviser will not be available as he is going on a foreign trip. On this Rabbani said that he can speak to the law minister who will brief the house in his absence. The report of Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affair, Statistics and Privatisation on 'The Companies Bill, 2017' passed by the National Assembly was also presented in the House.