Pakistan's New Army Chief Takes Command

Pakistan's New Army Chief Takes Command

General Qamar Javed Bajwa has taken command of Pakistan’s army, the sixth-largest in the world.

The official change of command ceremony took place earlier this week near the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

The former chief, General Raheel Sharif, called Bajwa a “strong decision maker” who faces a complex security situation.

Many Pakistanis did not want Sharif to leave office. Some put up large street signs asking him to stay. Others launched a social media campaign with the hashtag “ThankyouRaheelSharif.”

Many people believe Sharif improved security and reduced violence. They say he led the military to success against militants¹ and extremists.

But some people say he expanded the influence of the military and took control of some duties usually performed by civilian² officials. In this way, they say, he quietly took power away from the government.

In fact, Sharif at least once publicly criticized the government for not doing more to carry out the National Action Plan, created to fight terrorist violence. In his last public speech as army chief, he said that to deal with its problems -- including criminality and corruption³ -- Pakistan must enact⁴ the plan.

Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have been killed in extremist violence over the past 10 years. A military operation launched in 2014 has greatly improved the security situation. But attacks continue, showing that extremists are still active in the country.

The new army chief must also deal with increasing tensions with India. Indian and Pakistani troops often fire at one another across the Line of Control -- an unofficial border in the disputed Kashmir area. Bajwa formerly⁵ served as commander of the army unit which is responsible for areas around the Line of Control.

Bajwa must also deal with problems on his country’s western border with Afghanistan. Relations between the two countries have worsened since last year, when tensions lessened⁶.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wanted Pakistan to help negotiate a peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistani officials said they tried to do so, but could not force the Taliban to if the militants did not want a deal.

Afghanistan says Pakistan has continued its policy of supporting the Afghan Taliban, including giving the group’s supporters places to hide. Afghan leaders say the Pakistanis are doing this so they can keep some influence in Afghanistan and block Indian influence.

But the most important issue for the new military chief might be easing tensions between Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership. Publicly, the two sides dispute reports of tensions. The military leaders say they support the constitution. But for months, some Pakistanis have worried that the military is plotting to remove the civilian leaders and take control of the country.

Local media reports that some of the reasons General Bajwa was chosen as army chief is he does not seek attention and is not interested in political issues. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chose him even when other generals have served longer in the army.

This has happened before. Earlier prime ministers have chosen less-senior generals because they believed they were not interested in removing the civilian government. But that has not always been the case.

Years ago, then-Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto named General Zia ul-Haq over other, more experienced generals. But the general led a military rebellion against Bhutto and executed him.

More recently, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif named General Pervez Musharraf as army chief. Musharraf ousted⁷ Sharif in 1999 and sent him into exile.

Tensions between the civilian and military leadership increased in October after a Pakistani newspaper reported on an argument between the two sides at a national security meeting.

Pakistani officials said the report was not true. But the newspaper said that it was.

The daily English language paper, The Dawn, said the civilian leaders gave a warning to military officials at the meeting. They said that if the military did not stop supporting militants in Afghanistan and India, Pakistan would face international isolation⁸.

The military leadership was reportedly angry about the story. They reportedly believe a civilian gave information about the meeting to the newspaper. Investigators⁹ are trying to find out who leaked information to The Dawn.

Whether General Bajwa continues the investigation¹⁰ with the same strength as the former army chief may show what kind of relationship he wants to have with Pakistan’s civilian leadership.

Words in This Story

senior – adj. higher in standing¹¹ or rank than another person in the same position

isolation – n. the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others; the condition of being isolated¹²

leak – v. to give (secret information) to someone so that it becomes known to the public

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

5 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

6 lessened   

减少的，减弱的

参考例句：

• Listening to the speech through an interpreter lessened its impact somewhat. 演讲辞通过翻译的嘴说出来，多少削弱了演讲的力量。
• The flight to suburbia lessened the number of middle-class families living within the city. 随着迁往郊外的风行，住在城内的中产家庭减少了。

7 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。