New Delhi: Pakistanis have turned their constitutional crisis into a meme-fest and are having fun at their own expense. The country currently does not have an active military chief and the people have refused to take the “disrespect” meted out to their “Syed”, Syed Asim Munir, by the Sharifs. They are joking about the cost of the delayed official military gazette notification signed by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Their tool of dissent is sarcasm.
The country, last month, passed the 27th amendment to its Constitution, granting unprecedented legal immunity to its Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir. The role of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) was abolished and Munir was set to assume the role of Chief of Defence Staff, starting 29 November—a consolidated position overseeing the Pakistan military, effectively making him the most powerful man in the country.
However, three days after the last CJCSC General Shamshad Mirza retired, an official notification regarding the shift of powers is yet to be sent out. This has opened a window of mockery and misinformation.
According to official protocol, Munir was to conclude his original tenure as COAS on the night of 29 November. In its biggest constitutional overhaul in decades, he would thereon take over his position as both COAS (officially extending his tenure) as well as the CDF, the newly created post.
This new tenure effectively extends Munir’s position until 2030 or even 2035. It would also give Munir complete control over Pakistan’s nuclear assets. The amended constitution has led to the creation of a new four star post of the Commander of National Strategic Command (CNSC)—one which will be based on the recommendation of the CDF (in this case, Munir).
All that is missing is an official military gazette notification signed by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
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Finer details
According to local reports, the delay is attributed to tuning of “finer details”, but it has led to an atmosphere rife with controversy and rumours in Pakistan.
First, Sharif who was in London delayed his return to Islamabad over personal health concerns. Then, he landed in Lahore, Monday night, instead of Islamabad, the capital city.
Now, it’s been a day since his return and the notification is still not out.
“It is hereby notified that no notification will be notified until the notification is notified…,” Pakistani journalist Cyril Almeida joked on X.
“Syed field marshal 9-star platinum.. khalid ibn waleed 2.0.. general of the generals.. prince of the banu hashim.. iso90002 certified hafiz (عَلَیہِ السلام)… waiting for an official notification from a 2-bit politician who couldn’t even win his seats… islam is in danger..,” another X user mocked.
Then came Pakistani journalist Waqas Ahmed with his string of tweets on the “disrespectful” behaviour of the Sharifs for keeping the Army chief waiting.
“For the first time in our history we had a COAS who was a Syed and a Hafiz. Instead of washing his feet, Nawaz Sharif abused and humiliated him. This is so disrespectful not just to Pakistanis but whole Muslim Ummah,” he wrote sarcastically.
He then added: “Nawaz Sharif humiliated the Slahuddon Ayubi of the 21st century. If it wasn’t for him, we would be living under the divine blessings of the holy CDF since 28th November. Alas, every day the notification is delayed and we live without him as CDF is hell.”
Some expressed sympathies for Sharif senior. “A Hafiz, Syed and chosen by Allah who’s leading Allah’s army Tauba! Zara dil na kaanpa Nawaz Sharif ka [Did Nawaz Sharif not feel anxious at all],” an X user sarcastically quipped, in response.
Meanwhile, tech analyst Hussain Nadim had a game theory analysis of what might have led to the delay, replete with multiple scenarios of what might have happened in the Sharif vs Munir power battle.
Mooed Pirzada, another prominent journalist sarcastically called Nawaz Sharif “a ganda bachcha” or a dirty child on X for not putting out the notification yet.
When Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif put out a tweet congratulating UAE on its national day, instead of any official information on the CDF notification, an X user posted a meme of Asim Munir looking at a message notification excitedly only to see it is not on his appointment.
Another handle showed a picture of him with US officials and the caption called him “General Retired Asim Munir” before adding, “ Where have you gone missing….. I miss you. A notification will surely come through. Show up somewhere. I am sad.”
Another X user had a solution: “Hafiz sahab, this nation won’t accept any disrespect towards you. Resign kardain ham ap k sath hain [go ahead and resign, we support you]”
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)