The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit has underscored Pakistan’s power structure, with Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir seemingly enjoying greater visibility and importance than Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Munir accompanied Sharif during his bilateral meeting with Iran’s President on the sidelines of the summit, but the army chief is set for a far more prominent role in China over the coming days. According to sources quoted by CNN-News18, Munir is expected to attend China’s grand Military Parade Day on September 3, an event that Beijing uses to showcase its armed forces and signal global partnerships.
“Munir will be part of Sharif’s bilateral meetings with Chinese officials…Major security meetings are happening in China. Munir is likely to hold meetings with other key states members in China,” sources told CNN-News18.
The fact that Munir, rather than Pakistan’s elected head of government, is the one expected to engage in substantive discussions underlines Islamabad’s continuing reality, where the military wields more influence than the civilian leadership, especially in foreign and security policy.
Sharif’s marginalisation at the summit has not gone unnoticed. While leaders from other SCO member states held visible, high-level engagements, Pakistan’s prime minister was largely absent from the spotlight. Instead, the army chief’s movements and expected meetings are drawing more attention, reinforcing the perception that Beijing, like many others, sees Pakistan’s generals as the real decision-makers.
For Sharif, this comes as another humiliation on the world stage. His government, already struggling with political instability and an economy in perpetual crisis, appears increasingly irrelevant in strategic forums. Even within the SCO, where Pakistan once sought to play up its geostrategic importance, the message is clear: civilian leadership is expendable, while military brass remains indispensable.
Given Munir’s tightening hold on power and his participation in global meetings typically led by the head of state, his presence at the Chinese military parade carries significance well beyond symbolism.
It signals Beijing’s priority of deepening military-to-military ties with Pakistan, while relegating Sharif to the sidelines. In effect, China’s embrace of Munir underscores Pakistan’s long-standing reputation as a country where the army overshadows democracy.
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