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OPINION AUGUST 28, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

The Unravelling of the

Hybrid Regime in Pakistan

At a time when politico-security elites in Pakistan are busy taking credit for their role as

peacemakers in the ongoing Middle East crisis, the internal political and security situation

at home has increasingly been deteriorating

Graphic courtesy: IDSA

legitimacy and credibility during their emerges as the real beneficiary. Gen. Assembly and the Senate. The 26th
direct rule and become highly unpop- Zia-ul-Haq strengthened his position Constitutional Amendment allowed
ular after some time, leading to their during the Afghan Jihad, whereas a parliamentary committee to appoint
exit. Similarly, a Chief of Army Staff Gen. Pervez Musharraf tightened his the Chief Justice of Pakistan, over-
(COAS) with an unusually long stint in grip during the US’ War on Terror in looking the seniority principle. This
office faces a similar set of challenges. the region. was followed by new legislation to en-
For its survival, the present PML- Asim Munir has been utilising the sure a favourable balance in the high-
N-led and PPP-supported political opportunity offered by the geo-politi- er judiciary by increasing the number
set-up is completely dependent on cal changes introduced by the Middle of judges in the Supreme Court from
Asim Munir, who currently holds the East crisis to undermine the civilian 17 to 34 and in the Islamabad High
dual offices of Chief of Defence Forc- dispensation on the one hand and Court from 9 to 12. It also increased
ASHISH SHUKLA es (CDF) and COAS. The Shehbaz strengthen his position on the other. the tenures of all armed services chiefs
Sharif-led civilian set-up appears to Ever since he made it to the good from three to five years. It was akin to
he army has historically been an be crawling before Asim Munir. In a books of President Donald Trump, giving Asim Munir an extension be-
important stakeholder and, in completely changed geopolitical envi- who refers to him as his favourite fore his original tenure was set to end.
Tmany instances, a prime mover ronment, especially due to the ongo- Field Marshal, Munir’s fortunes at Soon after the Pahalgham terror
in the Pakistani political system. It not ing crisis in the Middle East, Pakistan home received a tremendous boost. attack, Operation Sindoor, launched
only managed the affairs of the state has emerged as a vital third party fa- He used the newfound confidence to by India to punish the perpetrators of
directly by imposing martial law and cilitating a negotiated settlement be- introduce fundamental changes to the proxy war and eliminate terror nurs-
suspending/abrogating the constitu- tween the United States and Iran. system, which have somewhat under- eries nurtured by Pakistan, prompted
tion; it also influenced major policy Given its geo-strategic location mined the country’s democratic and Pakistan to launch Operation Bunyan-
decisions even during periods when and rentier character, Pakistan often constitutional institutions. un-Marsoos. During the four-day mil-
the so-called civilian set-up was at the presents itself as a useful partner to It is important to note that he was itary action, India demonstrated its
helm in Islamabad. History suggests the powerful states in the internation- instrumental in ensuring the smooth ability to strike deep inside Pakistan
that military dictators in Pakistan suf- al system. However, in all such en- sailing of the 26th and 27th Constitu- with complete precision by targeting
fer from a dual yet perennial crisis of deavours, the security establishment tional Amendments in the National Continued on next page... >>

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