News
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Army bound to keep itself away from politics: CJP
* Justice Chaudhry says military intervention in political process weakened democratic institutions in pastStaff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice (CJ), Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, has observed that every member of the armed forces, according to the oath, is bound to bear true allegiance to Pakistan and uphold the constitution, which embodies the will of the people.
Addressing faculty members from Command and Staff College, Quetta at the Supreme Court (SC) building on Saturday, he said it was incumbent upon every member of the forces not to engage himself in any political activities whatsoever, and honestly and faithfully serve Pakistan.
He said military interventions in political processes weakened the democratic institutions and caste adverse implications on the growth of country’s constitution and legal system.
“Pakistan Army has been regarded as a highly disciplined and trained force over the years, but its dominance of politics in Pakistan eventually led to people raising eyebrows over its role,” the CJ said.
He said, “Our democratic and elected governments never consolidated the democratic institutions in reality. Neither, they were able to ensure good governance, economic progress or rule of law in the country.”
The CJ said that the history of Pakistan reflected recurring conflict between the underdeveloped political system and a well-organised army. “We have witnessed military interventions followed by periods of military rule, whenever there are political crises in the country,” he remarked.
He said thus, there emerged a vicious circle of brief political dispensation followed by a prolonged military rule. “This state of affairs brought many setbacks and hampered the evolution of constitutionalism and a system of governance based on democracy,” he noted.
Chaudhry stated that it was for the first time in the entire constitutional history of Pakistan that an oath for the members of the armed forces was incorporated in the Constitution of 1973.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk