Fasih Bokhari

Fasih Bokhari (; 8 March 1942 Bokhari also served as the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau, a Pakistani anti-corruption agency.

In 1999, Bokhari publicly disagreed and revolted against the decision of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to extend Pervez Musharraf's tenure as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee preceding the latter's supersession as the Chief of Army Staff. He is notable for his war opposition stance, having called for public introspections about Musharraf's decisions related to the 1999 Kargil War in 2000.

In 2011, Bokhari was appointed the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau by President Asif Ali Zardari. However, his appointment was mired in public controversies, leading to his eventual removal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2013.

Biography

Naval career and between wars (1965–1971)

Fasih Bokhari was born in 1942 in British Indian Empire, now India and Pakistan. His S/No. was PN No. 858 when he joined the Navy in 1959.

S/Lt. Bokhari joined Ghazi as a torpedo specialist under then-Cdr. K.R. Niazi and participated in war operations in the second war with India in 1965. Lt. Bokhari, together with then-Lt.Cdr A.U. Khan correctly identified the INS Khukri, and provided coordinates that ultimately sank the Khukri in 1971. After the war, he was honored with Sitara-e-Jurat together with Commander Tasnim. He studied under then-Colonel Jehangir Karamat who had profound influence on his critical thinking and authored his thesis on the war studies, required for his master's degree which he attained in 1984.

Command and staff appointments

From 1985 to 1991, Captain Bokhari was posted at the Navy NHQ and served as the Director of Naval Operations (DNO) and director of the naval warfare operation plans.

Vice-Admiral Bokhari became involved in the acquisitions and indigenous production of Agosta 90B submarines, with the French assistance. He died on 24 November 2020.

Chief of Naval Staff

On 1 January 1997, Vice-Admiral Bokhari was promoted to four-star rank admiral and took over the command of the Navy from the dismissed Admiral Mansurul Haq as Chief of Naval Staff on 5 February 1997. Upon appointment, Admiral Bokhari superseded Vice-Admiral A. U. Khan who was already on extension due to his chairmanship of the National Shipping Corporation, and visited the Joint Staff Headquarters and called on Chairman joint chiefs Gen. Feroze Khan. Admiral Bokhari also provided his crucial support for naval base to be established in Balochistan, Pakistan, which was made operationalized on 26 April 1997. In 1999, Admiral Bokhari oversaw the Hammerhead– 99 as part of a series of conceptual exercises conducted annually by the Navy as a prelude to the Sea Spark.

1998 Nuclear tests and General Karamat's relief

Admiral Bokhari was the naval chief when India announced that the country conducted the series of nuclear tests under codename Operation Shakti on 12 May 1998. He attended the informal meeting with Chairman Joint Chiefs General Jehangir Karamat and Air Chief Marshal PQ Mehdi, the Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force, at the residence of General Karamat. At the meeting, Admiral Bokhari again exhorted for practicing the nuclear ambiguity and strongly urging restraint. Prime Minister Sharif viewed this lecture as military's interference on national politics and eventually relieved from the command of the military as the Chairman joint chiefs tendered the signed resignation. Over the issue of Kargil debacle, Admiral Bokhari attended multiple meetings with the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and General Musharraf to be briefed on the Kargil events, and the Indian Army's counterattacks on the Pakistan Army soldiers.

About the Indian Navy maneuvering its fleets to Arabian Sea, Admiral Bokhari reportedly marked that: "Pakistan's already badgered economy could be throttled in a war scenario." Bokhari had the Pakistan Navy's warships begin providing escorts for its existing oil tankers, and secretly deployed submarines to keep track of any attempt by the Indian Navy to block the Karachi coast.

At the country's news media, Admiral Bokhari became well known for his publicly questioning the military strategy behind the Kargil infiltration and gave criticism on General Musharraf's inability for not taking the Navy into the planning stage, while the latter hoped for Navy's intervention to support the nation's defence after the conflict had reached an impasse.

After the Kargil debacle and the martial law in 1999, Admiral Bokhari advised Musharraf to resign from the command of the military and it would be the best for him to leave as soon as possible and seek a solution like former army chief General A.W. Kakar did.

Revolt and the resignation

On 7 October 1998, Lieutenant-General Pervez Musharraf was promoted to four-star army general and took over the command of army from General Karamat as the Chief of Army Staff; in addition, General Musharraf was also made acting Chairman Joint Chiefs on 7 October 1998.

The appointment to the Chairman Joint Chiefs was only meant to be temporary and it was hoped that Admiral Bokhari would be appointed to the post. In September 1999, General Musharraf had sent a message to Prime Minister Sharif that "anyone in the Navy and Air Force can become the Chairman Joint Chiefs as I did not care." General Musharraf reportedly backed Admiral Bokhari's bid for the Chairman Joint Chiefs but he was overseen by the Prime Minister who confirmed and extended General Musharraf's term until 2001.

Upon hearing the news, Admiral Bokhari lodged a strong protest against this decision in the news media and reportedly revolted against Prime Minister Sharif's appointment for the Chairman joint chiefs in 1999. Admiral Bokhari telephoned the Prime Minister Sharif and announced his intention to resign from the command of the Navy despite the Prime Minister urging to complete his tenure. Admiral Bokhari strongly urged his resignation since General Musharraf was his junior and often referred to him as "Sir."

On 5 October 1999, Admiral Bokhari resigned from the command of the Navy as the news media construed Admiral Bokhari's resignation merely as unhappiness over not being appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Public service Chairman National Accountability Bureau

In 2007, Bokhari became the President of the Pakistan Ex Servicemen Association which he remained until 2010 before becoming the Convenor of The Save Pakistan Coalition in 2010.

On 17 October 2011, Bokhari was appointed Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau by the then-President Asif Ali Zardari, which the president also confirmed his appointment. His appointment was met with the controversy when then-Opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan raised objection to the nomination on technical grounds but was rejected by the President Zardari. In 2012, he vowed to eliminate the corruption and maintained that the NAB should adapt to eliminate corruption from the country.

Following his appointment, Admiral Bokhari's appointment was challenged by then-Opposition leader Ali Khan after he submitted a complaint at the Supreme Court of Pakistan on technicality. In 2013, Senior Justice T.H. Jillani declared the Bokhari's appointment as "null and void." On 28 May 2013, President Zardari approved the summary that officially terminated Fasih Bokhari's appointment as chairman of NAB.

Peace activism Kargil War Introspection and pacifism

After his famous revolt and resignation, Admiral Bokhari began his political activism aimed towards peace between two countries and showed opposition towards wars. His support for forming an inquiry commission was supported by then-air chief PQ Mehdi, Lieutenant-General Gulzar Kiyani (DGMI), Lieutenant-General Tauqeer Zia (DGMO), Lieutenant-General Shahid Aziz (DG ISI Analysis Wing), and Lieutenant-General Abdul Majeed Malik.

After the Kargil War and coup d'état in 1999, followed by the military standoff between two nations, Admiral Bokhari became politically active in supporting peace and expressing opposition to war by pressing towards the idea of resolving any possible sources of future conflict at sea.

The Indian Navy's former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral J.G. Nadkarni recently opined that Pakistan had sensible mariners in decision-making positions who were keen to have agreements with the Indian Navy. Admiral Fasih Bokhari, Pakistan's naval chief from 1997 to 1999, was a great proponent of maritime co-operation with India and believed that it would benefit both countries."

Views on 1999 Coup d'état

In 2002, Admiral Bokhari quoted that: he knew about General Musharraf’s plans to topple [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif and did not want to be part of these "Dirty Games".

Before enforcing the martial law in 1999 against the elected government, Admiral Bokhari noted: "The two men could not work together, both were preparing to take active actions against each other. I could see that there now two centers of power on a collision course". At an informal meeting held at the Navy NHQ in September 1999, Chairman joint chiefs General Musharraf indicated his displeasure with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's handling of the country describing Prime Minister Sharif as "incompetent and incapable of running the country." Admiral Bokhari firmly got the impression whether General Musharraf was sounding out to rely on the support from the Navy in the event of the coup and Admiral Bokhari discouraged the Chairman joint chiefs from doing so.

He contended that the Lahore Declaration process was the best trajectory for Pakistan and should be continued through a political dialogue. He further added that any rupture in the dialogue process would set the country back. Bokhari realised that this meeting was held to secure his support against the elected government.

Contribution to "Military Inc." by Ayesha Siddiqa Admiral Bokhari is mentioned multiple times by Ayesha Siddiqa in her book Military Inc., which describes the ideology and actions of the Pakistani military in running their commercial enterprises and business interests. He is quoted directly, as well as cited in multiple other places as an observer of the events and ideology that are described within the military. His significant contribution is acknowledged at the start of the book.

Criticism

In 2012, Brian Coughley, the historian of Pakistan, found it strange that Admiral Bokhari did not inform the government or President Tarar if he had the prior knowledge of intended martial law against the elected government.

In 2011, the News International editorial gave criticism to Bokhari after his appointment as Chairman NAB and opined that "Admiral Bokhari, as CNS, had quietly closed the case against retired Mansurul Haq when the latter was not found guilty but did not take actions against those naval officers who had received kickbacks, including Aftab Shaban Mirani who the Defence Minister involved in the affairs."

Awards and decorations

Command at Sea insigniaNishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Order of Excellence)Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Crescent of Excellence)Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military)

(Star of Excellence)Sitara-e-Basalat (Star of Good Conduct)Tamgha-e-Diffa (General Service Medal)

1. 1965 War Clasp

2. 1971 War ClaspSitara-e-Harb 1965 War (War Star 1965)Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War (War Star 1971)Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War (War Medal 1965)Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War (War Medal 1971)Tamgha-e-Baqa (Nuclear Test Medal)

Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam

(100th Birth Anniversary of

Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1976Hijri Tamgha (Hijri Medal)

1979Jamhuriat Tamgha (Democracy Medal)

1988Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha (Resolution Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1990Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan (Independence Day

Golden Jubilee Medal)

1997Naval Forces Medal

(1st Class)

(Saudi Arabia)Order of Military Merit Grand Cordon

(Jordan)The Order of Military Service (Malaysia)

Foreign Decorations Foreign AwardsNaval Forces Medal - (1st Class)The Order of Military Merit - Grand CordonThe Order of Military Service - Courageous Commander