Lt Gen Shahid Aziz Clarifies his stance

Dear Friends,

AoA,

My apologies to my friends for having to clarify my position and make explanations on my behalf, since I have again started to appear in the media. I have my compulsions to do so.

I recently received an email from a friend, questioning my silence while in uniform. Email and my response is placed below, as an explanation. I hope I wont have to continue to keep explaining myself.

I send this to you in honour of your concern for me.

May Allah be with us,

Best regards,

SA

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shahid Aziz <@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: National security, indeed! By: Shahid Aziz
To: XYZ

Dear XYZ Saheb,

Thank you for sharing your concerns candidly.

It is an assumption on your part that I was saying yes to every thing. You could only say this if you were present when we sat with Musharraf to discuss these security issues. I could not differ in public, but only in specified forums, where you were not present. If you have heard from some quarters, you may like to probe further.

Why I didn't resign was that I didn't serve Musharraf but the Army. I couldn't solve anything by walking away, but by staying and making myself heard, in whatever way I could. Yes, resignation would have made me a hero -- a spot I am not keen to occupy. I served the Army to the best of my ability and gave it whatever I could. I have offered my resignation twice, once as a major and once as a colonel. Then I had nothing to bank on. As a lt gen, materially, I would have had no inhibitions to do so. And you don't lose your pension or anything if you take release from the Army. So material loss was not a consideration.

No, I was not a king pin in making decisions. The chief discussed issues took our views and made his own decisions. He had created a unique channel for passage of his instructions, where all who opposed his views were bypassed. Only those who had "loyalty of ideas" remained in the loop. And a difference in his judgement and mine does not necessitate resignation. If it were so, half the Army would resign. It is only when you are constrained to follow some order which clashes with your conscience that you may consider resigning. Since I was never in a corner to execute any order which was against my conscience, I did not feel the pressure to leave office. In NAB I was asked to do something against my conscience, so I left.

But yes, the thought of resigning, in fear of Allah, did cross my mind a number of times. Perhaps my staying also didn't make much of a difference to the overall dynamics of things, because he eventually did what he needed to do. However, in retrospect, I do feel that it would have been better had I walked out, and played no part at all in the game, although at that time the Army was not on this kind of a killing spree in FATA, as it is today. But when I look back, I can see that the seeds were sown in the days when I was CGS. I left the office in 2003. But this is in retrospect. I live with that burden, and seek Allah's forgiveness.

As for the military takeover, I have no qualms. Only that I trusted a person and believed in the promise he had made to establish a better democratic order, and then followed him. Otherwise this political system, I still feel, has no hope of getting better. But these are only my thoughts, and you may not share them.

If I have any heartburn about my past, it is only because I feel that I am accountable to Allah. And I respond to your email for I feel that you too share this fear of Allah, by your titling me a 'munafiq'. But I do wonder why your concern is more with my person, rather then my views. And why Musharraf is such a hero figure in your mind? Perhaps you feel that our current policy in supporting the massacre in Afghanistan is a course sanctioned by Allah. Perhaps you don't share my views and that is the reason for your malice.

If all this is still not satisfying, then know that even kafirs are forgiven, when they convert. If I speak now, it is only with the future in mind and not the past. Musharraf did what he thought best. I did what I thought best, at that time. And I will continue to work in the direction I feel is best for the country. These are the convictions that move me. More in my forthcoming book.

May Allah be with us.

Regards,

SA