- Since the partition from India in 1947, Pakistan’s military had played the role of a kingmaker, and even taken direct control of the government affairs several times.
- t has always been known and repeatedly asserted that for a political party to survive in Pakistan, it needs strong backing from the all-powerful military establishment.
- the outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif admitted that a government cannot function properly in a coup-prone country without the support of the military.
- Sharif used to openly criticize his predecessor Imran Khan that he won the 2018 elections with the help of the military.
- Shehbaz Sharif has said that his elder brother and former PM Nawaz Sharif would return next month.
- Nawaz Sharif has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons.
Pakistan’s outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has admitted that even his government could not run without the support from the military, reflecting its key role in the coup-prone country’s politics. When Mr. Sharif was the Opposition leader, he used to criticize his predecessor Imran Khan for running a hybrid regime. But after coming to power, he adopted the same pattern.
In an interview with Pakistan’s Geo News broadcast, when the anchor pointed out that Pakistan was among the most prominent examples of hybrid regimes in the world today, Mr. Sharif said that Imran Khan had relied heavily on the former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
“Mr. Khan also received military support during his tenure. His government was a blend of various components, despite his accusations against others for the same. Every government requires backing from key sectors, including the military,” Mr. Sharif said.
The military, commonly known as the establishment, has run Pakistan directly for almost half of its history since partition in 1947. For the rest of the half, it called the shots from behind the curtains, controlling the politics of the country.
The first coup took place in 1958, and since then the military has routinely asserted itself in political affairs. The last time military took control was when its chief General Pervez Musharraf ousted Nawaz Sharif and his ministers in 1999. This was reportedly in response to thwarting the Sharif regime’s attempt to dismiss Musharraf, whose regime then lasted till 2008.
Though Pakistan’s military has repeatedly said it would not interfere in the country’s politics, its influence in affairs of the state is still evident. Lately, it is taking part in the financial decision-making process and Prime Minister Sharif instead of showing any resistance promoted the trend.
As Pakistan gears up for the general elections that would likely take place towards the end of this year, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his elder brother and former PM Nawaz Sharif would return next month. Nawaz Sharif has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons. The 73-year-old was serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail when the high court allowed him to leave the country on medical grounds in November 2019.
(With inputs from agencies)
