Pakistan's Politico-Military Ties 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.

- Arjun Subramaniam

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.

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 of the Pakistan army and its gradual domination of the violent political landscape. From Prime Minister (PM) Liaquat Ali Khan's assassination at a political rally in 1951, to the recent attempt to assassinate Imran Khan in November 2022, the Pakistan army has—in one way or the other—been linked to these attempts as part of a continuous struggle for supremacy over the political and civilian establishment.