Pakistan has once again laid bare the illusion of civilian governance. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recently admitted that every major decision on foreign policy, the economy, and even negotiations with the International Monetary Fund is made in close consultation with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, thereby once again exposing the truth that the civilian leadership in Islamabad is little more than a rubberstamp.
This public acknowledgment confirms what the world has long known: Pakistan is fundamentally an army state. While Sharif sits in the prime minister’s office, the real levers of power are firmly in Rawalpindi. Munir and his generals dictate policy, control strategic choices, and steer the country’s international engagements. Civilian authority is a facade and Sharif’s statements only reinforce the military’s total dominance over Pakistan’s governance.
Shehbaz Sharif’s admission: Civilian power is a fiction
Shehbaz Sharif, in remarks that shook the pretence of civilian rule, admitted that all significant decisions regarding Pakistan’s foreign policy, economic strategy, and IMF negotiations are conducted in close consultation with Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Sharif described the arrangement as “team work” and “smooth coordination,” portraying it as a cooperative effort. In reality, this is the public confession of a civilian government stripped of authority. Sharif’s government does not decide policy independently; it merely rubberstamps decisions made by the military.
The admission comes after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had previously acknowledged the army’s overwhelming role in governance at the United Nations General Assembly. Together, these statements confirm that Islamabad is a puppet seat, while Rawalpindi holds the true reins of power.
The consequences of this arrangement are stark. Pakistan’s civilian leaders cannot negotiate with the IMF or shape foreign policy without military oversight. The country’s financial credibility is further weakened by the knowledge that key policy decisions are subject to the priorities of a single institution. Democracy in Pakistan is an empty label, and its international commitments are conditioned by the army’s interests, not by a representative government.
The rise of Asim Munir: Rawalpindi rules
Munir’s ascendancy is the clearest signal of Pakistan’s military dominance. Munir has consolidated control over key levers of power, including strategic policy, intelligence, and economic decision-making. His authority was evident in June when he visited the White House without Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meeting US officials and diplomats directly, a display of influence that a civilian leader could only envy. Earlier this month, Munir accompanied Sharif to the Oval Office in Washington, again underlining the reality that the army chief is the driver of Pakistan’s foreign engagements. Sharif’s presence was purely ceremonial, a backdrop to Munir’s authority. The optics in both cases showed that while Pakistan markets itself as a parliamentary democracy, real power flows from Rawalpindi.
Munir’s dominance is not limited to diplomacy. He has an overarching role in shaping domestic policy, economic decisions, and international financial negotiations. The military’s grip on Pakistan is such that no civilian initiative proceeds without Munir’s consent. Sharif’s public admission merely confirms what insiders, analysts, and India have long maintained: the army, led by Munir, runs Pakistan while the civilian government functions as an ornamental cover.
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