Pakistan’s politico-military tango: Relationship fractured by deep State
The idea of Pakistan as an Islamic democracy that offered space for other religions and cultures to coexist within an Islamic State vanished with the death of its founder and first Governor General, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. What has emerged since is a State that has demonstrated a fractured and unstable politico-military relationship that has seriously impeded Pakistan’s evolution from a colony to a modern State. General Asim Munir is a radicalised general in the Zia mould who has plunged the politico-military dynamics in Pakistan to a new low (Reuters) There are three main themes that highlight the politico-military dynamics that exist in Pakistan. The first is an absence of consistent political acumen and the widespread corruption within Pakistan’s political parties since its creation, which has offered space for the military to step in and offer notions of stability and power to its people. Pakistan’s political instability relative to India is exemplified by the fact that it has had 24 prime ministers compared to India’s 14. The second theme that merits attention is the political rise …


