US must stop backing Asim Munir amid erosion of democracy in Pakistan: Report

TEL AVIV: Pakistan is not governed solely by its elected cabinet - a “cohort of the extended Sharif family” - but by a hybrid political system in which the military remains the ultimate arbiter of national security and a powerful force in civilian politics, a report has stated.

The current civilian government continues to face a significant legitimacy crisis amid concerns over restrictions surrounding the 2024 General Elections, the imprisonment and political exclusion of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his supporters, curbs on the media, the erosion of judicial independence, and violence against minorities across the country, political researcher Vas Shenoy wrote in the ‘Times of Israel’.

Shenoy argued that this has fostered a belief among millions of Pakistanis that the ballot box can no longer deliver a peaceful change in power in the country. With constitutional politics losing legitimacy, he said, public anger is increasingly being channelled against the state itself.

“At the same time, Pakistan’s security environment is deteriorating. The Pakistani Taliban has intensified its campaign, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Baloch separatists continue to challenge the state in the southwest. Islamic State–Khorasan and sectarian organisations remain active. Afghanistan offers sanctuary and strategic depth to some of these networks, while Pakistan’s historically selective policy toward militant groups has blurred the distinction between organisations deemed hostile and those once considered useful,” Shenoy detailed.

“Pakistan’s economic stabilisation should not be mistaken for structural health. International assistance has reduced the immediate threat of a balance-of-payments crisis, but the country remains burdened by debt, a narrow tax base, energy-sector liabilities, weak public services and recurring dependence on external financing. Poverty, rapid population growth and severe exposure to floods, heat and water stress reduce the state’s ability to absorb another major shock,” he added.

According to the expert, the US should pursue a policy that combines economic and climate assistance to Pakistan with clear demands for credible elections, stronger civilian governance and decisive action against every terrorist organisation — not merely those threatening Pakistan itself. Above all, he said, Washington must stop backing Asim Munir, as it once did former Pakistani army chief Zia-ul-Haq.

Shenoy underscored the need for Washington to recognise the nuclear dimension, stressing that Pakistan possesses an operational nuclear arsenal.

“Its weapons are not believed to be sitting unguarded or available for seizure by militants. The country has developed a specialised command-and-control system, and the army retains custody of its strategic forces,” he noted.

“Consequently, extremists capturing the entire arsenal remains a remote prospect under current conditions. But that is the wrong scenario on which to focus exclusively. More plausible dangers include insider-assisted theft, sabotage of nuclear infrastructure, attacks on transport movements, the disappearance of material or components and the weakening of authorisation procedures during a military split,” he added.