[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]ISLAMABAD: Army Chief General Asim Munir chaired a corps commanders’ conference on Saturday, a day after giving an in-camera briefing to members of the National Assembly, saying the army would continue to perform its “constitutionally mandated responsibilities.”
The emphasis on constitutionally mandated responsibilities is viewed as a subtle message in the context of a brewing dispute between the government and the Supreme Court over the Punjab elections.
Despite clear direction from the Supreme Court, the federal government is hesitant to provide resources and manpower for the upcoming elections in Punjab. On Friday, a three-judge panel led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial directed the acting governor of the state bank to transfer 21 billion rupees to the election commission by April 17.
Also Read: Supreme Court directs SBP to issue election funds
The Supreme Court, observers believe, will summon the defence secretary to order the deployment of army troops for the election.
According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the corps commanders reviewed the domestic and regional environments, as well as the external and internal security challenges that Pakistan faces.
Although the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement did not explicitly mention the ongoing political tensions, the deployment of troops for the Punjab and KP elections must have been discussed.
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“The forum affirmed that military leadership is cognisant of the full spectrum of the challenges and it resolves to shoulder its constitutionally mandated responsibilities with support of the resilient people of Pakistan,” the ISPR said.
That part of the statement was interrupted by some experts that the army might be preempting the possible Supreme Court order.
A retired bureaucrat, who requested anonymity, said the statement of the ISPR “leaves the room open” for any future decision. The bureaucrat said under rules of business GHQ is an attached department of ministry of defense, which works under the federal government. This means that deployment of troops for election duties is not possible without the approval of the federal government.
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The senior bureaucrat suggested that if the Supreme Court requested assistance, the army could argue that it could only do so with the permission of the federal government.
Meanwhile, the forum reaffirmed the armed forces’ commitment to fully support national responses to internal and external threats.
It emphasised that, while security forces are conducting intelligence-based operations along the western border, there is a need to adopt a whole-of-nation and whole-of-government approach to long-term terrorism eradication.
This focused counter-terrorism campaign against terrorists, as approved by the government, will lead to the eradication of permissive factors of terrorism, extremism, and instability in the country.
The forum pledged to pursue the NSC’s goals of turning the tide against terrorism through the coordinated application of all elements of national power.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
