Pakistan Army suggested its tweet against the civilian government did not target PM Sharif. (File Photo)
Indicating a willingness to press the defrost button in its relations with Nawaz Sharif government, the Pakistan army "withdrew" a tweet today
that rejected Prime Minister Sharif's decisions on an inquiry into
a report published in the Dawn newspaper last October. The story was seen to undermine the all-powerful army and put PM Sharif in the driver's seat.
The army, however, hasn't deleted the controversial tweet, which has been retweeted 11,000 times over the last 12 days. Wednesday's concession came after the government issued an order outlining the action taken on the inquiry report. In essence, the new order was not very different
from the one issued on 29 April but is speculated to have been finalised in consultation with the army brass.
The rift between the army and the civilian government owes its origin to a news-report in Pakistan's Dawn newspaper last October. According to the news-item on a high-level meeting, Mr Sharif had told the military leadership to act against terrorists, quickly conclude the Pathankot probe, restart the 26/11 Mumbai attack-related trials and not interfere when civilian security agencies crack down on banned terror groups.
A livid army brass called the leak a breach of trust on national security and demanded action. Pervaiz Rashid, the information minister had to step down and a formal inquiry panel was set up.
On 29 April, PM Sharif sacked his trusted aide Tariq Fatemi and ordered disciplinary action against the Rao Tehsin Ali, the government's chief spokesperson on the recommendations of the inquiry panel.
But the army promptly rejected the order. In a tweet, army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the government notification was incomplete and not in line with the inquiry report's recommendation. "Notification is rejected," the Inter-Services Public Relations D-G said.
The army's swift, unequivocal and very public reaction had shocked the government which appeared heading into a direct confrontation with the army. "Twitter reactions were highly dangerous for the country... State institutions don't communicate with each other through tweets." Interior Ministry Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said.
Less than a fortnight later, the army issued a statement clarifying that its previous tweet that rejected PM Sharif's previous decision "was not aimed at any government office or person". It added that since the government had implemented the inquiry panel's recommendation, "Accordingly, ISPR's said Twitter post stands withdrawn and has become infructuous."
A report in Dawn, however, pointed that the only 'new' part in the government's 'notification' was an endorsement of the
removal of Senator Pervaiz Rashid by the federal government.
(With inputs from PTI)