Is it true that the Saudis want Pakistan to head the military alliance of over twenty Muslim countries masterminded by them which, they want to be modelled on the pattern of NATO?It is not a bad idea provided all Muslim countries, including Iran, are made a necessary part of it, otherwise, it would cause more harm than good to the Islamic world and would be construed by many as a ‘B team’ of the US. Already many eyebrows have been raised by many political quarters in the country over the wisdom behind the participation of Pakistan in the military exercises carried out in Saudi Arabia recently. The firing of ballistic missiles into the space by Iran precisely at the same time when these military exercises were taking place was very meaningful. How can any military alliance of Muslim countries be considered genuine if all the Islamic countries are not a part and parcel of it?
It would be sensible if a constitutional amendment is made allowing the government to pick the CEC and members of the Election Commission from among the bureaucrats and civil society also instead of selecting them from the judiciary only. We have before us an example of our next door neighbour India where a retired IG Police was made CEC of India in the not-too-distant past and he proved himself to be the most honest and law abiding successful CEC of India. The job of the CEC is not restricted only to court work. It is an administrative job involving a lot of public dealing and a civil administrator having a vast experience of field service can prove more successful than a judge whose entire universe is restricted to the four walls of his court room.
Dozens of IGPs have been transferred in Sind, Panjab and Balochistan during the past couple of years on various charges like inefficiency and corruption which speak volumes for the extent to which the police stand politicised in these three provinces. The transfer of Sind’s IGP the other day is a case in point. KPK’s track record in this matter is, however, much better.

