Jaibans Singh
General Asim Munir, COAS, Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is once again in the news for all the wrong reasons. In the US House of Representatives, Representatives Joe Wilson and Jimmy Panetta have introduced the “Pakistan Democracy Act”, seeking to sanction the Pakistan Army Chief for “persecution of political opponents” including former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The sanction is demanded under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, on the basis of an accusation that General Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan Army is “knowingly engaging in the wrongful persecution and imprisonment of political opponents.” Apparently, the sanction proposal will not see the light of day since the Trump regime looks upon Imran Khan as inimical to its government. However, the challenge has been posed and it will have long term repercussions on the US-Pakistan relations.
The Balochistan Challenge
This development could not have come at a worse time for the Pakistan army leadership considering that it has its back against the wall due to the international backlash to the hijacking by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025.
The embarrassment has been further accentuated by the clumsy handling of the situation by various elements of the Pakistan Army. The first on the dock is the intelligence apparatus spearheaded by the famed Pakistan Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) once considered to be the second best intelligence agency in the world after the Mossad of Israel. The ISI and its many off-shoots had no clue of what is broiling in Balochistan.
Also highlighted is the sluggish response of the security forces that took more than 100 hours to restore the situation. This is the official timeline given, on ground the matter is probably still not over. The information being released by various agencies of the Pakistan Army, particularly the ISPR and the ISI, is contradictory in nature.
The Army applied brute force, as it normally does in such situations. This resulted in a large number of casualties both military and civilian that could have been avoided considering that the opposing forces are a small insurgent group pitched against those who rate themselves as one of the elite fighting forces of the world.
The BLA, on the other hand, has emerged as a force to reckon with. It has exhibited its will and capability to escalate the insurgency which is not good news either for Pakistan Army or China. China has more reason for worry considering the huge investment it has made on the impact on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for which the Gwadar port on Balochistan is the fulcrum. Already grappling with a weak and sensitive security situation, this tactical escalation may well put a lid on the huge investments that the country has made for which a security guarantee has been given specifically by the Pakistan army
The Government of Pakistan under tutelage of the Pakistan Army is attempting to brazen its way out by putting the blame on “external factors” which implies predominantly India and to some extent Afghanistan and Iran. There are however no takers for this thought process.
In order to rebuild confidence, the Pakistan Army has unleashed unspeakable brutality on the innocent people of Balochistan. The policy of the Army became clear when a spokesperson of the force blurted out in a press conference that the “rules of the game have changed.” This has translated on ground in a huge crackdown on the Baloch social activists starting with the iconic Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, who, along with their associates of the Baloch Yakjheti Committee (BYC) has been booked by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department on charges of murder, terrorism, and sedition. This move has led to widespread protests across Balochistan which has been virtually blacked out by the pliant Pakistan media.
The illegal detention has been condemned by many human rights groups from across the world, especially Amnesty International. They have expressed concern over the, “alleged arrests and enforced disappearances” of Baloch activists and termed it as a “systematic attack on rights of the Baloch people.”
Unrest in Pakistani Provinces
The problem is not in Balochistan alone. Sindh is perturbed by the recent decision to construct six new canals on the Indus River, which will cause irrigation water shortage to the province. This looks to be a decision by the Army for the benefit of the officers who are predominantly Punjabi and have large land holdings in Punjab where the canals will have maximum impact. The local parties like Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) have launched massive protests against the move.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is grappling with serious security issues. Recent data from the Counter-Terrorism Department has recorded 636 acts of subversion across the province in 2024 that have caused death and injury to service personnel as well as civilians.
Pakistan Army in Complete Control
It is often said that Allah, Army and America are the three tenets of Pakistan politics. Presently, the Army has a distinct upper edge over Allah and America since it is ruling indirectly through compromised political parties and weak politicians. Even parties like Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) that exerted considerable political weight across Pakistan have become weak and ineffectual.
The situation is not new to Pakistan but what is worrisome is that the “establishment” is paying no attention to the plight of the people in the provinces other than Punjab. It has no policy other than repression and India bashing to depend upon. The end result is a dangerous cocktail of complete authority with no responsibility.
The Army has firm control over the foreign policy where it is refusing to shed the animosity with India and Afghanistan. The end result is that no avenues are being opened for economic recovery of the nation through trade and international support. The geographical position of the nation that facilitates the connecting of India, Iran, China and the Central Asian Republics can reap huge economic benefits. This is not being leveraged due to the blinkered and obdurate approach of the Pakistan army.
The army is also not opening channels for political integration of restive regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Gilgit-Baltistan continues to be unsure of its status in the country and is reeling under unconstitutional subjugation and exploitation.
While doing nothing to ameliorate the critical state of the economy, the Pakistan army has no qualms in eating up a major portion of the budget for whatever it is worth. The percentage of defence spending in Pakistan is more than four percent which is almost double than that of all other nations. This is the official figure, unofficially the army takes whatever it wants.
Failure of Pakistan Army
The Pakistan army has always projected itself as the last bastion for defending the country and its Islamic faith. The reality is that it has failed in all fronts, be it governance, diplomacy, internal security or external projection. Its primary aim of weakening India, for which it has kept Pakistan deprived, has not witnessed even an iota of success. India has, in fact, prospered immensely while Pakistan, being immersed in the anti-India phobia, has landed in a debt trap with vital sectors such as education, health and economy touching rock bottom.
The Pakistan army has not allowed civilian leadership, be it political or bureaucratic to evolve. This has led to the creation of an inept and self-serving political leadership. The end result is that the aspirations of the people for democracy and freedom akin to what they see in India are left unfulfilled.
Pakistan’s survival now depends on the choice that it makes. It can continue its military-centric policy that has nothing to show as an achievement or it can evolve politics that carry all segments of its polity along. The deep state tag has to be replaced with one that enhances civil-military cooperation for the betterment of the nation and evolution of a stable regional environment.
Conclusion
A strong Pakistan that has deep-rooted democratic credentials and a vibrant relationship with its neighbours is what India has aspired for always. Many Indian prime ministers, and most of all Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have attempted affirmative steps towards building a healthy relation with the neighbouring country but these efforts are invariably derailed by the Pakistani deep state.
Balochistan has laid bare the vulnerabilities of the Pakistan army. The current geo-political challenge affects the global equations in general and South Asia in particular. For India the fault line is not one that can impact the growth and development of the country. At best, it is a manageable security challenge. India, however, cannot take Pakistan lightly, especially so in the border regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and especially Punjab. It is here that the Pakistani deep state has concentrated its disruptive and divisive agendas. Punjab is, by far, under a deep attack and as such the most vulnerable.
Pakistan, on the other hand, is grappling with an existential crisis from which it can come out only through innovative structural reforms and policy changes. Now it is up to the people to decide whether their country can afford the continued leadership of the Pakistan army or not.
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