Opinion | PAK: Military Ascendancy & Political Control

In 1947, two nations were born from the same womb of Partition, but they chose strikingly different destinies. India embraced democracy, civilian rule, and constitutional values, while Pakistan handed over its soul to khaki uniforms and military doctrines. What followed was a story of coups, proxy wars, and a nation imprisoned by its own generals.

From the moment Pakistan became a sovereign nation, its political trajectory branched out very differently from that of India. While India, guided by the visionary leaders, established the groundwork for a democratic republic with strong civilian institutions, Pakistan descended into the unknown. The premature demise of its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, created a power vacuum. Weak democratic structures, internal power struggles, and inexperienced politicians gave the military an opening an opportunity it seized and never let go.

The first overt intervention was made by the Pakistan Army in 1958, with General Ayub Khan taking over the civilian government. This was no common change in leadership; it was a portent of military domination. Ayub established a hybrid military-bureaucratic arrangement, diminishing the relevance of an elected set of institutions. Subsequent generals enacted this same pattern Yahya Khan in 1969, Zia-ul-Haq in 1977, and Pervez Musharraf in 1999. Each time the constitution was suspended, the media muzzled, opposition leaders arrested or forced into exile, and parliaments dissolved.

Even during periods of civilian government, the military never truly stepped back. Every administration operated under the looming shadow of Pakistan’s infamous military-intelligence nexus, known as “The Establishment.” This unelected, unaccountable entity controlled foreign policy, defence decisions, media narratives, and even the fate of political parties. Civilian leaders who attempted independence in thought or action were inevitably neutralised either through dismissal, imprisonment, or forced exile.

From India’s standpoint, Pakistan’s military dominance has had dangerous consequences. To justify its oversized role, the army perpetuated a myth: India is an existential threat. This narrative enabled massive defence budgets and positioned the military as the guardian of Pakistan’s ideology and borders. Over time, this strategy evolved into the use of irregular warfare and proxy terrorism a deeply destabilizing tactic for the region.

In the 1980s, under General Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), funded by American and Saudi money, and supported Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan. After the Soviet withdrawal, these tactics were redirected towards India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir. Terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen received training, weapons, and safe havens in Pakistan. While the Pakistani state pretended they were “freedom fighters,” the world especially India knew better.

India has been paying the cost of this policy in blood. The 1999 Kargil War, engineered by General Musharraf, witnessed Indian troops fighting Pakistani incursions on rough mountain ridges. The 2001 Delhi Parliament attack was another open provocation. And then there was 26/11 the ghastly Mumbai attacks in 2008 when more than 170 innocent lives were taken by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. The 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing took the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, an attack unleashed by Jaish-e-Mohammed with clear links to Pakistan. Most recently, on April 22, 2025, Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, witnessed a brutal terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists and a local resident. Here again, the signature of cross-border support once more went on the attack. It was another stark reminder of how deep-rooted terrorism is in Pakistan’s state policy.

India has repeatedly brought these issues to the global forum, including the United Nations. The international community has taken heed. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Pakistan on its grey list for years because of its continuous support for terror financing. Meaningful action has largely been lacking even after Islamabad assured the FATF repeatedly that something would be done because Pakistan’s civilian leadership does not have enough control over the shadow operations of the army.

But the military’s hold is not merely political or strategic it is economic. Pakistan’s armed forces have built an economic empire operating vast businesses in agriculture, banking, real estate, cement, transport, energy sectors and even manufacturing diapers. It does not stop here Pak army has even their own entertainment industry under army. Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare Trust, and National Logistics Cell dominate these domains. Nicknamed “Milbus” (Military Business), this complex is out of parliamentary control and exists only to enrich retired generals and their kin. While common Pakistanis struggle to cope with inflation, unemployment, and substandard services, the military establishment lives in style a class apart.

In spite of all this, the army has traditionally been popular viewed as a pillar of stability in corrupt civilian governance. But this image is wearing thin. Today, Pakistan is at the brink of a serious economic meltdown and freefall that has a severe debt burden, eroding foreign reserves, and internal infighting. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are under insurgency. Ironically, many of these terrorists who once remained committed to Pakistan’s foreign agenda have later turned their guns inward and begun targeting security forces themselves. The monster they created is now beyond their control.

Internationally, Pakistan finds itself isolated. Western nations have scaled back aid. Military assistance has dried up. Even China Pakistan’s so-called “iron brother” has raised concerns over CPEC’s implementation due to security threats and corruption. Foreign investment is vanishing, and the country’s global image has taken a beating.

For India, this military stranglehold on Pakistan is not just a domestic issue it is a constant threat to regional peace. Every time India has extended a hand of friendship, whether through the Lahore Bus Yatra, the Agra Summit, or backchannel diplomacy, it has been sabotaged by the generals. The military sees peace with India as a risk to their relevance. This was evident once again after India abrogated Article 370 and reorganized Jammu & Kashmir in 2019. Instead of dialogue, Pakistan responded with ceasefire violations, infiltration attempts, and drone-based terror drops all executed by the military, not the civilian government.

We must respond to the challenge with strength, strategy, and smart diplomacy. From the military front, we should be vigilant and ready to take on all forms of aggression. Diplomatically, we must continue telling the world that this is a nation speaking of peace while caressing terrorism. At global forums, we need to take a relentless stand to ensure that Pakistan faces uninterrupted pressure to dismantle its terror infrastructure. We also need to invest in fortifying our internal security systems, modernizing our armed forces, and building counter-terror mechanisms.

There can be real and enduring peace only in South Asia when Pakistan is ruled by its elected leadership, not generals from Rawalpindi headquarters. Until the military goes back to its role of defending borders instead of commanding policies, the subcontinent will not be stable. India, in turn, has to remain firm and optimistic. Our imperfect democracy is our biggest asset. Pirzadarehan52@gmail.com