In Pak’s clash with Afghanistan, civilians watch as generals negotiate

From the outset, the state's institutional framework was designed to centralize real power around the bureaucracy and the military.

- EHSANULLAH EHSAN

A careful look at Pakistan's political history leaves no room for doubt: the reins of power have consistently rested in the hands of those who, while appearing to operate behind the scenes, have in practice overseen every decision, every crisis, and every major shift.

Politicians, regardless of era, have donned the trappings of democracy, yet beneath the changing faces and attire, they have continued to perform on the same stage, following the same script-a script never authored by the civilian leadership.

To grasp the reality of civilian supremacy in Pakistan, the example of the nominal Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, is far more telling than any extended debate. Outwardly, he is the head of the country's defence affairs; in practice, he wields neither decision-making power nor any meaningful authority before the military hierarchy. His recent sharp and provocative statements on Afghanistan are nothing more than the echo of a loudspeaker, broadcasting the directives emanating from the GHQ. He does not set policy, and his words do not alter the state's strategic course. The office of the Defence Minister, which constitutionally should be powerful, has in Pakistan been reduced to a ceremonial and symbolic role.

The depth of this impotence is illustrated by an incident recounted by a Pakistani journalist.

On a street in Islamabad, the Defence Minister found himself stalled in the protocol of his own subordinate, Army Chief General Asim Munir. He had to wait on the roadside for nearly an hour as the convoy of the very officer technically under his command passed by. This was not mere protocol mismanagement; it was a vivid demonstration of the imbalance of power between civilian offices and military authority in Pakistan.