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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Military, mullahs, and ISI agents: The collapse of democracy in Pakistan
A closer look at the Pakistani state over the years demonstrates that the 'democratic deficit', coupled with the rise of Islamist forces supported by the ruling elites, contributed to Pakistan's failed state syndrome read more Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan and now the 'field marshal' Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) via Reuters The future of Pakistan is quite bleak and facing a crisis of its very existence. Some of the major factors responsible for the present crisis of Pakistan are the weakening of the political institutionalisation process, the rise of Islamist terrorist and radicals and their role in the political process, co-option of these groups by the Army, social-cultural strife, political decay are some of the factors responsible for ' democratic deficit' in Pakistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Introduction The cowardly and monstrous act carried out by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists group The Resistant Front, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba on April 22, 2025, at Pahalgam (in the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir) brought out the question of whether the Pakistan political establishment is appeasing both the Mullah and the Military, under whose mercy the government runs. The second aspect that needs to be examined is whether Pakistan is facing an existential crisis. The third question that requires attention is whether the international community will declare Pakistan an evil state, considering its track record of patronising and sponsoring terrorism. 'Democratic Deficit' and Co-option of Radical Islamist networks in the Political Process in Pakistan The prolonged political instability and 'democratic deficit' which has plagued the Pakistani political system over the years has put Pakistan in a blackspot. One of the major factors that contributed to the present chaos in Pakistan, which put both the social and political systems in a nadir, is the unholy nexus between the military and the mullahs who operate in collusion with each other and that prevented the flourishing of democracy in Pakistan. The genesis of the growing role of radical Islamist forces in Pakistan's politics can be traced back to creation in 1947. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, considered to be the founder of Pakistan, used Islam as a tool to mobilise the Muslim masses for the creation of Pakistan. It has even been argued by Indian Journalist that Jinnah has used the irregular army in the form of terrorists to wage war against India in 1947 and 1965. In this context, Akbar further writes, ' Pakistan invented modern terrorism'. The same policy that the political establishment is continuing now. As such, the nexus between the radical jehadi groups and the Pakistani political establishment was deep-rooted, as Christina Lamb writes in his book Waiting for Allah: Pakistan's Struggle for Democracy. However, the roots for such nexus were manifested more glaringly in the regime of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who systematically cultivated these radicalist and jehadi forces to achieve his power consolidation at the domestic polity and at the same time to give greater teeth in the country's foreign policy plank. It may be underlined here that his successor, General Zia ul Haq, also gave a greater push to the nexus between the army and mullahs in Pakistan to garner necessary support. Even late Benazir Bhutto, during her term, constantly cultivated these mullahs and the military to ensure legitimacy for her regime. Thus, the military and mullahs, along with Pakistan's notorious and evil intelligence agency Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) played a critical role in the upsurge of radicalisation of Pakistan's politics which provided an impetus to the growing Jihadi culture in Pakistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Greedy State', Pakistan's Army and Radicalisation It is not just the radicalisation of politics that happened, but Pakistan's political elites started radicalising the educational system, which provided the fertile soil for the growth of madrassas. These madrassas' theological education, which contradicts modern-day secular education, has also contributed to the rise of radicalization of the educational system. As the theological educational system suited the interests of the political elites of Pakistan, it produced mercenaries under the guidance of religious education. The basic objective of Pakistan's army, as Christian Fair argues in her book titled Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army's Way of War, is to make Pakistan a ' Greedy State'. According to Fair ' Greedy states pursue revisionist policies to increase their prestige, to spread their ideology or to propagate their religion'. Thus, these mercenaries produced in the madrassas of Pakistan became an asset for its army and the devil Pakistan's intelligence wing, ISI , in achieving ulterior goals. The state patronage of terrorism has been admitted by the Pakistani political elite over the years. The admission of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in his interview to Sky News, where he accepted that Pakistan is supporting and sponsoring global terrorism. As Asif, the Defence Minister of Pakistan, stated, Pakistan 'have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades and the West, including Britain'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Similarly, a former high official of Pakistan Husain Haqqani in his book Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military stated, 'This political commitment to an ideological state gradually evolved into a strategic commitment to jihadi ideology—ideology of holy war.' Thus, the open admission by Pakistan's Defence Minister, as well as Haqqani, reflects the nature of the unholy nexus between the Pakistan army and Madrassas, which in turn produces radical Islamist terrorist forces. The nexus between the Pakistan Army and Madrassas was succinctly analysed by Siegfried O Wolf in an article titled 'Pakistan and State-Sponsored Terrorism in South Asia'. In this article, Wolf observes that: 'Islamic teaching was incorporated into the military curriculum for recruits. Furthermore, military organizations had to follow increasingly religious guidelines, and the promotion of officers to higher ranks was largely based on religious conviction (the more conservative, the better), rather than merit or years of service. Islamic clerics (mullahs) belonging to the conservative Deobandi stream in Islam and radicalized groups like Jamaat-i-Islami were appointed to work with the soldiers'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some of these factors are responsible for the present radicalisation of the army in Pakistan, which in turn contributed to the breeding of jihadi army. The same was reflected in the hateful speech of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, now the 'Field Marshal', just before the Pahalgam incident. Munir stated, ' Pakistanis are fundamentally different from Hindus in religion, culture, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions.' By employing these religious rhetorics, Munir wanted to mobilise the Pakistan Army as well as Islamist mercenaries. This helped Munir to consolidate his stronghold over Pakistan's politics. Evil ISI and Islamist Terror Network Nexus in Pakistan Similarly, the notorious ISI, known for its devilish intent, has also been actively involved in nurturing terrorism in Pakistan. As some of the above studies suggest, the ISI has a deep connection with the madrasas of Pakistan and uses them to recruit terrorists and indoctrinate them with religious zealotry. Available literature suggests that the terrorist groups of Pakistan are hand in glove with the Pakistani establishment. The same was highlighted by noted South Asian expert Ashley J Tellis in his monograph titled The Menace That Is Lashkar-e-Taiba. In this monograph Tellis underlined that the dreaded Pakistan based terrorist group 'Lashkar-e-Taiba, bolstered by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, this Wahhabi group promotes the vision of a universal Islamic caliphate through tableegh and jihad—preaching and armed struggle.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The notorious ISI of Pakistan, along with LeT has also created other prominent terrorist groups like the Jaish e-Mohammad (JeM), the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Hizb-Ul-Ul-Mujahideen, Shipai-e-Saheba Pakistan, Laskar-e Jangvii Pakistan, United Jehad Council (JUC), Al Badr, just to name a few. All the terrorists are recruited by ISI from the religious madrassas of Pakistan and are indoctrinated with a hatred ideology. The South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) has listed such Pakistan-based terrorist groups and also outlined how Pakistan's ISI is nurturing these terrorist groups. A recent book written by Abhinav Pandya, titled Jaish-e-Muhammad: Inside the Terrifying World of the Prophet's Army, has also analysed the nexus between Pakistan's ISI, madrassas and terror groups. In his book, Pandya analyses that Deobandi Ideology largely influences these Pakistani terrorist groups nurtured under ISI . Similar view can be inferred from the writing of the former US National Security Advisor, Lt Gen (retd) H R McMaster, in his book At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House, where he exposed the nefarious link between Pakistan's ISI and terrorist groups. The book written by Pakistani Scholar Medha Afzhal titled Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society and the State, highlights the link among the ISI, terrorist groups, as well as the military establishment in Pakistan. The Pakistan establishment uses these terrorist groups as a front to wage an asymmetric warfare against India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Looking at the active penetration of ISI in the Pakistan political establishment Owen L Sirrs in his book titled Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate: Covert Action and Internal Operations, argues that 'ISI plans and executes Pakistan's proxy war strategy. From Kashmir to Afghanistan, it has created., trained armed militant groups'. Sirrs argues that 'it is a state within a state'. It is also a fact that though Pakistan joined the US war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 incident, on the other hand, it provided a safe haven to Osama Bin Laden, the al-Qaida chief, and his entourage. For all these reasons, Pakistan has become the breeding ground of global terrorism. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has also put Pakistan in the grey list. The international community also looks at Pakistan suspiciously. A closer look at the above studies suggests that the political system in Pakistan is largely under the control of the Army, ISI and the Madrassas, which are in fact the de facto rulers of the country. The election, choice of Prime Minister, as well as the decision-making process, both internal and external in Pakistan, are carried out by the Army, ISI and the radical Islamist madrassas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the years the notorious ISI of Pakistan in connivance with its political establishment and the military used these jihadi terrorist networks operating from Pakistan's soil to wage an asymmetric war against India. Whether it is the Air India flight hijack 1999, or the attack on India's Parliament 2001, the 26/11 attack in Mumbai 2007, Uri and Pathankot attack, the Pulwama attack in 2019, just to name a few. All these incidents are being waged by Pakistan's rogue ISI along with JeM, LeT, with the active connivance of some of the splinter terror groups mentioned above. Some of the dreaded and UN-designated Pakistani terrorists like Masood Azhar, Hafeez Sayeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Syed Sallaudhin (who fled from India, operating from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK)) are operating in Pakistan with support from ISI and the Pakistan establishment and carrying out all the terrorist activities against India. The same is the case with another dreaded UN-designated terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim, a proclaimed offender and responsible for the Mumbai blast in 1993, under whose name a Red Corner notice has been issued by Interpol at the request of India, has also been given shelter in Pakistan. As a Russian scholar, Vyacheslav Y Belokrenitsky, in an article titled 'Islam and Islamic radicalism in Pakistan', underlines that radicalism and terrorist activities in India are 'actively supported by Pakistani official circles'. The above view of Belokrenitsky reflects the kind of unholy alliance that exists between the Pakistan establishment and the terrorists, which it breeds within Pakistan. Pakistan is using these terrorists to wage an asymmetric warfare against India. The then Minister of State of Home Affairs of India, G Kishan Reddy in a response to the questionnaire in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament), in 2021 mentioned that ' there are several terrorist training camps in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) which are used for training and subsequently for infiltrating trained militants/terrorists into J&K for terrorist activities. Some of these training camps are still active and imparting training to militants.' Similarly, a recent report of the Indian army suggests that around 150-200 terror camps are functioning in POJK with the active connivance of the Pakistan government. It is also a fact that Pakistan is not only sponsoring and patronising terrorism but is also involved in active radicalisation and terror funding, and trying to play the Islamic card. Similarly, reports also suggest that both Pakistan's army and its evil ISI are engaged in narco-terror activities to fund and patronise terrorism. Along with this, Pakistan is facing challenges internally from Baluchistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and also in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan(POGB) and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). In this context. Already, Baluchistan declared its de-facto independence from Pakistan. The rogue nature of Pakistan's strategic conduct poses a substantial challenge to both regional and global security. It is a fact that Pakistan is not only posing a threat to India, but all the South Asian countries are facing the same. The increasing infiltration of Pakistan's ISI in Nepal is giving headaches to the Nepalese Authority. One may underline here that Turkey under Erdogan is also strongly supporting Pakistan's nefarious activities in Nepal. Similarly, the radicalisation of Bangladesh's politics by Pakistan over the years resulted in the overthrow of the democratically elected Sheikh Hasina government and subsequent chaos in the country. Sri Lanka and the Maldives have also faced the threat of radicalism and terrorism originating from Pakistan. The case of Afghanistan is not much different. Since 1979, the radicalisation of Afghanistan and subsequent chaos in the country were largely orchestrated by Pakistan. Over the years, Pakistan exported terrorism to Afghanistan and Central Asia to achieve its ' strategic depth'. Both Central Asian countries and Russia have also accused Pakistan of fomenting trouble. Even many Chechen and Central Asian terror groups obtained their training from Pakistan. European countries, as well as the United States, are constantly accusing Pakistan of its role in the proliferation of global terrorism. In the past, the Trump Administration, in its first term, withheld financial aid worth 250 million US dollars to Pakistan for its devilish role of patronizing terrorism. In 2018, President Trump tweeted that 'They [Pakistan] give safe haven to the terrorists we [the US] hunt in Afghanistan, with little help'. Pakistan's dark history and its involvement in nurturing and sponsoring terrorism pose a substantial security threat not only to India but also to global security. The global community is constantly raising their apprehension over Pakistan's tacit support for terrorism. Along with Islamabad's role in patronising global terrorism, there is a growing sectarian conflict, a lack of effective governance, as the political process was largely hijacked by the military, mullahs and the ISI. As a known Pakistani scholar, Ayesha Jalal, in an article titled 'Does Democracy have a Future in Pakistan?' published in the Journal of Democracy, writes, 'Pakistan has been imploding in slow motion for decades'. She further writes, 'The shortest route to power in Pakistan is to win the army's favour.' The growing preponderance of the army in the political process, increasing role of religious madrassas, as well as a failed electoral democracy over the years, as well as sectarian strife and growing societal conflict, endemic poverty and lack of economic development, make Pakistan a perfect case for a failed state. Pakistan's Role in Pehalgam Terror Attack The recent massacre of 26 innocent civilians at Pahalgam by the Pakistan terrorists in collusion with local terrorists reflects the nefarious design of Pakistan. Soon after the attack, the Pakistan-sponsored and supported terror module, The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the attack. This terror group is a frontal organisation of LeT and JeM, the two dreaded Pakistan-based terror groups. The TRF was also involved in an earlier terror attack in August 2024 when it attacked a bus carrying pilgrims. The primary objective of this terror module is to recruit local people to terror groups of LeT and JeM. The TRF also has linkages with the official terror enterprises of Pakistan, ISI. Though the TRF was a banned terror group from January 2023. As reports suggest, this terror group, TRF, uses phrases like ' resistance' to create a new narrative, but the core objective is to pose a substantial threat to the peace and tranquillity of Jammu and Kashmir. The April 22, attack by terrorists on innocent civilians in Pehalgam is a part of the strategy on the part of the Pakistan Army to perpetuate its cross-border terrorism, which it has been doing over the decades. As news reports suggest, even a retired Pakistan army soldier is involved in the terror attack. The report submitted by the National Investigation Agency(NIA) of India directly indicates the role of the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist group LeT, Pakistan's monstrous intelligence wing, ISI and the radicalised Pakistan army for the attack. The report also highlights the involvement of local terror sympathizers at Pehalgam who facilitated the terror attack. Pakistan's Global Isolation The recent Pakistan-sponsored terror attack at Pahalgam resulted the international community condemning the barbarity and the heinous act of Pakistan in sponsoring terrorism. The US Department of State mentioned that 'the United States stands with India and strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Pahalgam'. As reported, 'President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack. India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror'. Similarly, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, 'This brutal crime has no justification whatsoever. We expect that its organisers and perpetrators will face a deserved punishment. I would like to reiterate our commitment to further increasing cooperation with Indian partners in fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.' The UN Security Council in a Press Briefing on April 25, 2025, 'strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday that killed at least 26 tourists and left many more injured, calling for accountability and international cooperation to bring the perpetrators to justice'. Conclusion A closer look at the Pakistani state over the years demonstrates that the 'democratic deficit', coupled with the rise of Islamist forces supported by the ruling elites, contributed to Pakistan's failed state syndrome. The ruling elites of Pakistan employed the radicalist forces as a tool to ensure legitimacy for their rule. The growing nexus between the Army, ISI and the Jehadi forces in Pakistan has also further deepened the democratic crisis. This failed state syndrome, over the years, has also been posing a substantial threat to Pakistan's very existence. The author teaches at the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author; they do not necessarily reflect Firstpost views.
The Star
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Pakistan's army chief to meet Trump after conflict with India defused
FILE PHOTO: Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS/File photo WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to have lunch with Pakistani armed forces chief Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday, according to Trump's official schedule. The rare one-on-one meeting between a Pakistani military chief and a U.S. president could rile India after the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals in South Asia for decades, which Trump took responsibility for helping defuse. Pakistan's foreign ministry and the military's media wing did not reply to requests for comment on the White House meeting and it was not immediately clear what would be discussed at the lunch, which was closed to the press. Trump said last month India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by Washington, and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump late on Tuesday that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not U.S. mediation, according to India's most senior diplomat. Pakistan has thanked Washington for its role in the mediation efforts last month. The military has ruled Pakistan for at least three decades since independence in 1947 and has wielded extraordinary influence even with a civilian government in office. (Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Charlotte Greenfield in Islamabad; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Straits Times
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Pakistan's army chief to meet Trump after conflict with India defused
FILE PHOTO: Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS/File photo WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD - U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to have lunch with Pakistani armed forces chief Asim Munir at the White House on Wednesday, according to Trump's official schedule. The rare one-on-one meeting between a Pakistani military chief and a U.S. president could rile India after the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals in South Asia for decades, which Trump took responsibility for helping defuse. Pakistan's foreign ministry and the military's media wing did not reply to requests for comment on the White House meeting and it was not immediately clear what would be discussed at the lunch, which was closed to the press. Trump said last month India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by Washington, and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump late on Tuesday that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not U.S. mediation, according to India's most senior diplomat. Pakistan has thanked Washington for its role in the mediation efforts last month. The military has ruled Pakistan for at least three decades since independence in 1947 and has wielded extraordinary influence even with a civilian government in office. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
First Post
10-06-2025
- Business
- First Post
Can debt-ridden Pakistan afford to hike its defence budget?
Pakistan is expected to raise its defence budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The country's Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, confirmed the move over the weekend, citing tensions with India as the reason. This comes as Islamabad's total public debt has reached a staggering PKR 76 trillion (around $269 billion), as per its economic survey 2024-25. However, the country's defence spending remains dwarfed by India's read more Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) via Reuters Pakistan is increasing its defence budget amid recent tensions with India. The country's Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, said on the weekend that the government will hike its defence budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The move comes even as Pakistan remains debt-ridden and the country faces economic instability and high inflation. As Pakistan increases its defence budget, we take a look at how it compares with India's. Pakistan to raise defence budget Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal confirmed on Saturday (June 7) that the government will increase the defence budget. 'It is our national duty to provide the armed forces with whatever they need in this budget to bolster their capacity and defend our country in the future. It has been proven that we have a dangerous neighbour (India) who attacked us in the night, but we gave them a befitting response,' he was quoted as saying by Pakistan's Dawn. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iqbal said the country must 'remain ready to respond if they attack again'. The likely step comes amid Pakistan's economic woes. The country's economic survey 2024-25 revealed that Islamabad paid $7.8 billion in external debt service payments in the previous financial year. A boy plays with a soccer ball next to a smouldering pile of rubbish, ahead of the World Environment Day, in Karachi, Pakistan, June 4, 2025. Reuters The country is spending more than 1.9 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on debt service payments, according to the survey. Pakistan's total public debt has reached a staggering PKR 76 trillion (around $269 billion), almost double since 2020-21. Of this, Islamabad owes $87.4 billion to other countries and multilateral agencies. Pakistan has to pay China $15 billion – the largest amount among bilateral lenders. This is followed by Japan at $3 billion and France at over $1 billion. The Shehbaz Sharif government's decision to hike the military budget comes amid significant damage to Pakistani airbases and air defence systems in the strikes by India under Operation Sindoor in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan's military budget Pakistan will unveil its annual budget for the coming fiscal year today (June 10), reported to be a PKR 17.6 trillion budget. According to Reuters, analysts predict a rise of about 20 per cent in the country's defence budget. Pakistan had increased its defence budget by 16.4 per cent last year. Pakistan allocated PKR 2.1 trillion for defence in the FY 2024-25, including $2 billion for equipment and other assets. The country's military expenditure stood at $10.2 billion for 2024-25, data by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To counter India's technologically advanced forces, Islamabad has focused its defence spending on maintaining nuclear capabilities and expanding its missile systems. Pakistan has an edge over India only in mobile rocket systems, 600 over New Delhi's 264, as per an Economic Times (ET) report. India, Pak comparison India has a bigger military than Pakistan and notably higher defence spending. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, India set aside $78.7 billion for defence spending, a 9.5 per cent rise from the previous year. India's military spending for 2024-25 was at $86.1 billion, as per SIPRI data. This makes the country the fifth-largest military spender in the world. The world's most populated country's defence budget has grown in the past decade. In 2013, India's military spending was at $41 billion. This nearly doubled to $80 billion by 2024, as per data from Macrotrends. India is seeking to enhance its defence capabilities by expanding the domestic production of weapon systems to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. It has also enhanced its air power by making key purchases such as Rafale fighter jets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When it comes to manpower, India has 14.5 lakh active military personnel, as compared to its rival neighbour's 654,000. India boasts 730 combat-ready aircraft, while Pakistan has 452 military aircraft. India's military has 4,201 tanks and roughly 149,000 armoured vehicles, with Pakistan possessing only 2,627 tanks and 17,500 armoured units. India's naval power is also superior to Pakistan's. The Indian Navy operates 293 vessels, including two aircraft carriers, 18 submarines, and 13 destroyers. Pakistan, on the other hand, has 121 vessels but does not have aircraft carriers or destroyers. With inputs from agencies
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Beloved strongman: Support for Pakistan army chief surges after India conflict
FILE PHOTO: Members of the Pakistani Hindu community hold flags and placards showing the picture of Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir, as they chant slogans during a rally in support of the Pakistan Army, in Karachi, Pakistan May 10, 2025. REUTERS/Shakil Adil/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo FILE PHOTO: People carry posters showing the pictures of Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir, (R) along with Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Service Public Relations wing of Pakistan Armed Forces, as they take part in a rally in support of Pakistan Army, a day after the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan, in Lahore, Pakistan, May 11, 2025. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza /File Photo ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir is the most powerful man in the country, but his popular support has surged after the worst conflict in decades with arch-rival India, shattering criticism of interference in politics and harshly cracking down on opponents. A grateful government has given him a rare promotion to Field Marshal "in recognition of the strategic brilliance and courageous leadership that ensured national security and decisively defeated the enemy". The military has ruled Pakistan for at least three decades since independence in 1947 and wielded extraordinary influence even with a civilian government in office. But it, and its hardline chief, have rarely received the widespread outpouring of affection seen this month that analysts say has reinforced the military's dominance in the nuclear-armed nation. "Long live General Asim Munir!" read placards held aloft in rallies in recent days in towns across Pakistan. His picture was put up on lamp posts and bridges, with some banners saying: "You are our saviour!" A survey conducted after the conflict by Gallup Pakistan, a local pollster, found that 93% of respondents felt their opinion of the military had improved. Munir's most bitter domestic foe, jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, also congratulated the military after this month's clashes with India, claimed by both nations as a victory. "It's my country, it's my army," Khan said in a post on X last week. "I pay tribute to the Pakistan Air Force and all our military personnel for their professionalism and outstanding performance." Yousuf Nazar, a political commentator, said of Munir: ."He has emerged as Pakistan's strongman with his military's reputation restored as a formidable force." Six months after he took charge in November 2022, Munir was faced with the most serious challenge to the military's hegemony when Khan's supporters attacked and ransacked military installations. Munir later faced sharp domestic criticism for the jailing of Khan and cracking down on supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, as well as what critics alleged was rigging the general election last year to favour a rival party. But the conflict with India has turned that around, said Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc, a book on the Pakistan military. "It has made the general stronger than any other previous generals. He is a hero now," she said, adding that the contest between the neighbours will be headed by two hardliners, India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan's Munir, a devout Muslim. "It's an Islamist general versus a religious strongman," she said. The military did not respond to questions sent by Reuters. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE The spark for the latest fighting between the neighbours was an April 22 attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. New Delhi blamed the incident on "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge denied by Islamabad. On May 7, the Indian military carried out air strikes on what it called "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan, in response to the attack in Kashmir. Pakistan claimed to have downed at least 5-6 Indian fighter jets and carried out air strikes on Indian military bases. India has indicated that it suffered some losses and inflicted major damage on key Pakistani air bases and air defence systems. Munir, who has memorised the Muslim holy book, the Koran, has publicly underlined what he has said are fundamental differences between Islamic Pakistan and predominantly Hindu India. "Our religion is different. Our customs are different. Our traditions are different," he said in a speech in Islamabad a week before the attack in Indian Kashmir. The Indian army "with all their wherewithal" cannot "intimidate" Pakistan, he said, peppering his comments with verses from the Koran. "Pakistan needs to be a hard state." Pakistan's counter-strike against India was named by him as "Bunyan Marsoos", after a Koranic verse, which means Iron Wall, according to the military. It was launched on May 10 to coincide with dawn prayers, considered an auspicious time for Muslims. Munir, the son of a schoolteacher, is an infantry officer and a former head of both the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence. He remains army chief until November 2027 and could be appointed for another five-year term at that point. Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, said that even before the latest conflict, Munir was more hawkish on India than his predecessor as army chief, who had taken a more pragmatic and less ideological approach, seeking to improve relations. "Conflicts with India remind Pakistanis of the fragility of their country and they rally to their army as the entity that will save the country," said Haqqani. "The recent show of strength and standing up to India has helped General Munir solidify his position within the country." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
