Both aphorisms were proved wrong by events in the last two years that culminated in last month’s general election, the country’s 12th. For one, the army lost the election, though they managed the selection of the post-poll rulers. Two, the events showed that it is the army that is riding the tiger, the tiger being electoral politics.
It had looked like the politicians had been riding the tiger earlier, ever since prime minister Mohammad Ali Bogra invited General Ayub Khan to join his cabinet as defence minister in 1954. That proved to be like the merchant letting the fabled camel—or shall we say tiger?—into his tent. Since then Pakistan has had three coups, three constitutions, and 30 prime ministers, all of whom came to power on the pleasure of the generals and went out of power when the pleasure was withdrawn.
This story is from the March 10, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the March 10, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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