As a citizen of Pakistan, I have a social contract with the state. The Constitution allows me to voice my questions about any institution or person of the state, as per Article 19 – the clause of Freedom of Speech.
As I have no direct voice in the Parliament to ask my questions, I am using this platform to lay them out. These questions pertain to the military’s standing in Pakistan’s political, economic, and social system.
- What is COAS’s (Chief of Army Staff) constitutional role? What are its limits?
- When former-Prime Minister Imran Khan stated the foreign policy during his tenure, why did COAS share a contrary position? Is that constitutionally “treason” against the head of the State?
- Why doesn’t any ex-COAS live in Pakistan?
- Why are rangers and ISI involved in internal security when their constitutional role is external security?
- Why do triple brigades provide security to the Prime Minister and not a civilian security force?
- Why has martial law been imposed so often in the history of Pakistan? And how does the military respond to their previous leadership imposing these martial laws?
- Why does COAS make foreign visits to different countries other than those meetings that are with their foreign armed forces? Is that his constitutional duty?
- Why was the high court opened at midnight when the Imran Khan’s government was ousted?
- What is the difference between mudakhalat [interference] and sazish [conspiracy]? If the military’s rhetoric is that there was interference in the internal matters of Pakistan, why hasn’t any investigation taken place after that?
- Why do we have CANTT (cantonment or military quarters) inside the cities?
- Why are GHQ (General Headquarters) and JS HQ (Joint Staff Headquarters) near the capital, Islamabad? Why was Karachi shifted from its metropolis status, and Islamabad made the capital instead?
- What is Milbus (Military-Business)? What is its constitutional standing?
- What is the criterion for becoming a general? And specifically COAS?
- What is COAS’s response to the hashtags on Twitter against him?
- Why did COAS visit LUMS before the government was removed?
- Why is the Wagha Border there? What is its strategic and practical purpose?
- President is in charge of the country’s armed forces; does all military acknowledge this?
- What is the relationship between border forces and customs?
- Has the military ever threatened its citizens with a gun? If yes, what guarantee is there that it won’t do so again?
- Are all soldiers & military leadership submissive to Civilian Supremacy?
- Are all soldiers & military leadership submissive to the Parliament?
- What is the allocation of the defense budget? What is the allocation of military aid? How are they spent, for what purposes, and what’s their justification?
- What is COAS’s response to his land in Belgium? Is it morally okay?
- What is the military’s response to its proxy warriors in Kashmir?
- What is the military’s response to the tragedy of missing persons?
- Is the military happy to salute a prime minister who is on bail at the moment?
- Who was responsible for the separation of East and West Pakistan?
- Why did the soldiers rape women in Bangladesh? And what is the military’s take on their past members’ behavior?
- Why is ISPR involved in drama shows? Is the military’s constitutional role there too?
