The PTI government has a knack for making a mess of simple matters. The list of such muck-ups is lengthening by the day. True, the hybrid system in place at present is not always aligned with the constitution, and in the absence of a clear constitutional path, confusion and botch ups become a way of life. In many situations, however, it is solely the Imran Khan government responsible for wresting confusion from the jaws of certainty. Is the trait inherent in the prime minister’s personality? Or is the decision making process of the government faulty, depending on factors beyond the realm of reason and logic? Examples of the jumbled up decision making are numerous. Let’s discuss the phenomenon which goes to show it is not about bad decision making; it is chaotic decision making.
Delay in the appointment of Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence,
or lack of it, is a classic example of Imran Khan’s ability to create confusion out of a matter hitherto considered routine. It is not one of those confusions that we witness every other day in running the country’s affairs, as the matter involves the most sensitive intelligence institution of the country that prefers to stay out of the limelight. At least as for the appointment of its DG, the ISI had never been discussed in the media. The credit goes to Mr Khan for this ‘first’.
Though the details of the confusion have been discussed at length both in the media and drawing rooms, it seems in the fitness of things to present a brief backgrounder here. After a meeting of the PM and COAS, some postings and transfers in the army were announced by the ISPR on October 5th. One of the appointments was that of Lt General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum as the new DG ISI, replacing Lt General Faiz Hameed. As per tradition, the notification of the DG ISI appointment is issued by the PM secretariat. Many thought that it’s the famous (or infamous) ‘same page’ that has led to the DGISI notification springing up first from the ISPR, and will be followed by a notification from the PM office. That, however, was not to be. The government spokespersons kept telling the nation that the PM office will issue the notification in a day or two. That was not to be. Confusion worse confounded! The ‘former’ DG ISIS is still participating in the top level meetings as incumbent DG ISI. As the DG he also visited Afghanistan last week. He was supposed to take charge as Corps Commander Peshawar on October 25th. Meanwhile, the PM met the ‘new DGISI’ appointed through the ISPR notification, but nothing followed in the form of a PM office notification. It’s chaos with a capital C. Finally, the government issued the notification of new DG ISI Lt-Gen. Nadeem Anjum on Oct 26, who will assume the charge of his new responsibility from Nov 20, 2021.
Sources insist that in the PM-COAS meeting, the PM agreed on the name forwarded by the military commander. Later, he changed his mind due to reasons best known to him. The top government sources reveal that whenever the PM is asked by his lieutenants as for the reasons of the delay in the notification, his response is vague. ‘A notification will be issued soon,’ he has been quoted as saying by different ministerial level sources. Meanwhile, the social media accounts and Youtubers considered pro-Imran Khan, have been churning out stuff pointing to numerous previous occasions where Mr Khan’s decisions were frowned upon by the chief, for one the Punjab CM appointment, or the decisions were shoved down his throat, like the appointment of Pakistan ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The message from the Khan camp was that PM’s hands were tied because of the tinkering with the system by the powers that be – but no more.
Whatever the truth, the social media is rife with the opinion that the decision making at the helm is influenced by the occult, referring to the spiritual side of the first lady. The international press is also dubbing our helmsman’s decisions a result of spiritual hide and seek, numerology, positioning of stars, etc. Such influences on the PM have been talked about for some time and ignored, generally with a smile, have finally landed him in the deepest trouble of his political career. In a nutshell, whatever the reasons, logical or otherwise, this chaotic decision making has visibly begun to take its toll. The government, all of a sudden, looks wonky, the masses are confused, the system is paralyzed. It is not merely a game of chess being played between the power players. The chaos has halted the country in every sphere, with Inflation multiplying by the hour and the discontent among the masses spiraling up, while the government is busy playing the notification game. Now, even if the confusion is resolved, an irreparable damage is done to the ‘same page arrangement’. The dream run is over. It is downhill from here. This is what confused decision making can do to a government considered the most stable in our political history only till a month back.
The extension of COAS, two years ago, was not a less chaotic episode. A simple notification of two lines was written and rewritten by the government’s legal eagles many a time. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, so to speak, came to assistance of the attorney general and finally the government succeeded in writing a small paragraph straight. The matter was resolved in the nick of the time, the day the COAS was retiring. It was chaotic. The government didn’t know if it was ‘limiting of retirement’, a ‘reappointment’ or an ‘extension’. The President’s notification concerned called it a reappointment, while the attorney general described it as an extension in the court. It was embarrassing for all involved, including the COAS, who had to participate in the cabinet meeting to help the legal wizards put together a plausible case for extension.
This incompetence and confusion go much beyond the military matters. The government policy on CPEC is a case in point. When the PTI came into power, one of its ministers concerned, Abdul Razzaq Dawood, said in plain words that the projects under CPEC were being halted for a year. The other ministers insisted that the CPEC was running full throttle. The same confusion continued for about three years, until the Chinese spoke. ‘It’s been slowed down under the present government,’ said the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan. Likewise, there have been confusing statements on Pak-US relations. ‘Absolutely Not’ has remained a famous slogan in this regard while now there have been reports suggesting Pakistan’s nod to an air corridor for US forces to carry out operations in Afghanistan. The government offended China on the one hand, and failed to please USA on the other. To say the least, our foreign policy appears confused and failing.
In a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan and Malaysian PM Mahathir in September 2019 in New York, Imran Khan agreed to participate in the upcoming KL Summit, reportedly aiming at establishing a platform parallel to OIC. Imran Khan backed out, reportedly under the Saudi pressure. Later, reports suggest, our military leadership had to intervene to seek pardon for the PM. It was confused decision making that soured Pakistan’s relations with its three closest friends in the Islamic world, especially Saudi Arabia.
The list of such confused and chaotic decision making is unending. The curious case of Justice Qazi Faiz Essa is a glaring example. The government tried and tried to dislodge him from the bench. The government failed but kept the nation confused for over a year. A recent example is that of Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan. The government banned the outfit but then allowed it to participate in the by-elections. They are true ‘ashiq e Rusool’ or ‘terrorists’, the government has been sending confusing signals.
The Khan government has a history of confused decision making. But it has been getting away with it. That’s it. No more, as it was the shelter of the same page that handled the grand confusion. Khan sahib has taken a saw to the branch he was sitting on.
