Karamat slams military role in politics

WASHINGTON—Jehangir Karamat, a former Pakistani general, says army must stay away from politics at all cost. Karamat also opposed the appointment of senior military officers at civilian posts in the administrative setup after retirement except in inevitable circumstances. According to Voice of America, Karamat, who is currently country’s ambassador to the US, told a gathering of noted scholars and eminent personalities that military must have no role in politics and must not take over power to avoid subsequent public criticism. He, however called for inception of an effective institution comprising civil and military representatives to consider ways and means to deal with crises nation faces nationally and globally.
“This will surely prevent future military takeovers”. Karamat said there were no differences of opinion in military ranks on exploding country’s nuclear devices in 1998 and the army sought prompt reply to Indian explosions. He said he had to quit chief of army staff’s office due to differences amongst ‘a few personalities’. He, however would not give names of those behind his resignation.
Karamat said no ‘Bounty Hunter’ outfit operates in Pakistan to catch militants from tribal areas under government’s patronage. “But possibility is very much there that some tribal vendetta might have prompted handing over of innocent persons to the US”, he said. He said the situation arising from flashfloods in Pakistan, uproar over Hasba bill and certain political development made prime minister Shaukat Aziz cancel his proposed visit to Washington. He said the tour postponement had nothing to do with the protocol accorded to the Indian prime minister during his visit to the US.—Online