Army of lions being led by a sheep

In July of 2003, as Post Commander (Captain in rank), sitting on 18000 feet high Musa Post in Siachen Glacier, I spotted Indian movement between my post and Jamal Post. I reported back. Company Commander came all the way to the post to see it for himself and asked me to open fire on enemy. Due to extremely cold temperature as low as -40 degrees and not frequent use of big weapons, very first round got stuck in the Mortar. No one would go near it because it could go off any second. I told the Mortar number to flip the barrel and let the round slide down slowly in my palm. It worked. But we were unable to thwart enemy movement in our company gap. Then I requested my Battalion Commander (Lt Col Imtiaz, 58 Baloch)to let me go physically to take them on. Those days, everyone in the chain could listen to the communication (we called it Multi). My neighbour and coursemate at Baqir Post Captain Awais Adil (now Brigadier) started claiming it was his right (him being Balochi officer) to lead this mission. Despite being Ghazi officer from Armoured Corps my claim was that I spotted the enemy, it was next to my post and I must lead this mission. In Siachen next my post means distant gap between two huge snow clad mountains with network of pitless crevasses along the way. One wrong foot could devour entire party of 8 to 10 men tied in rope. Mission was not approved by the senior leadership for unknown reasons. It amuses me to think about those days because of the drive, passion, fearlessness and fight to lead the deadly missions. I can vouch for men in uniform being solid, reliable and resilient leaders in their youth. 

In early days, the only currency is motivation to stand up for oath that these men take in their youth. As we grow in service, motivation shifts from rigors of patriotism to comforts of DHA. And the fearless lions become circus lions. 

Right now, what happened in political arena is orchestrated by neutrality of the Army. 

Right now, it’s the helplessness that hurts. I can’t change anything else than my own decisions. During our TV time discussions in last week, my son seemed drifting from his only passion of joining Pak Army. He told me to let go and with heavy heart I concurred. And why not when 99.99% Army is not neutral on “Army’s Neutrality”rather highly resentful on the role of one bad egg yet didn’t/ couldn’t do anything which is frustrating. Apparently, there seems to be no end in sight to this nonsensical hierarchy of pyramid like structure. 

When MNS, his daughter and Co, abused COAS publicly, we took them on as sentinels of Army on social media front. Ironically, now their revival is happening under his patronage. Where do we stand in this equation? Betrayed and anguished. He was not neutral rather “neutralised” by his ego, vengeance and greed. 

What a pity. Disappointed & dejected to say the least. Because like I mentioned in earlier part of this piece, these men in uniform don’t flinch or budge in the face of odds but they have always been let down by the senior leadership and one can always trace its root cause in politics, whims and hunger for power and money. 

Only Allah knows the whole Truth.