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Page 10 - The Indian EYE 082826
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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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