The Establishment (Pakistan)

Not to be confused with Establishment Division.

The Establishment (Urdu: اسٹیبلشمنٹ), also referred to as the military establishment, is a term commonly used in Pakistan to describe the influence of the Pakistan Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, and associated pro-military entities within the country's governance structure. Since Pakistan's independence in 1947,[1][2] the Establishment has periodically assumed direct control of the government through military coups and has frequently played a substantial role in influencing political and security policies during civilian administrations.[3] It is widely regarded as an influential force in Pakistan's political and strategic affairs, particularly in areas concerning domestic policies, national security and foreign relations.[4] This includes state policies introduced during various periods of military rule, including the Islamization measures implemented under General Zia-ul-Haq.[5]

In the 2000s, the military establishment later reversed its support of political Islam under General Pervez Musharraf, who pursued enlightened moderation, leading Pakistan to join the United States-led War on terror and subsequently becoming designated as a major non-NATO ally by the Bush administration.[6] Furthermore, in the 2010s, General Raheel Sharif pursued a policy of hardline crackdowns on Islamist militant groups, continuing this reversal of Zia-ul-Haq's aggressive pro-Islamist policies.[7] Civilian members of the military-dominated Establishment have included: Sharifuddin Pirzada, Tariq Azim Khan, Sahabzada Yaqub Khan[8] A. K. Brohi,[9] Ghulam Ishaq Khan[10] and Zafar Ahmed Ansari.[11]

The core principles and values of the Establishment are the policies of treating India as an arch-rival and existential threat, the Kashmir dispute, Islamization of Pakistan, maintaining Punjab as the heartland of Pakistan, the strategic use of non-state militants, and the formation of alliances with other Muslim-majority nations.[12]

  1. ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2015). The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience. Oxford University Press. p. 586. ISBN 978-0-19-023518-5. The civil-military establishment ruled Supreme for 60 years - from 1947 to 2007 - by crushing or betraying social movements and preventing the development of society.
  2. ^ Pakistan Extends Powerful Army Chief’s Term Archived 19 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Wall Street Journal, 19 August 2019. "... critics of the military say it helped Mr. Khan win the 2018 election, as a new force in Pakistani politics and it is accused of being behind a campaign against the country's two established political parties."
  3. ^ Hussain, Abid (30 January 2024). "Can Pakistan's politicians break the military's stranglehold?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  4. ^ Shah, Aqil (16 June 2023). "Pakistan's Military Still Runs the Show". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  5. ^ Ḥaqqānī, Husain (2005). Pakistan: between mosque and military. Washington: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-87003-214-1. Retrieved 23 May 2010. Zia ul-Haq is often identified as the person most responsible for turning Pakistan into a global center for political Islam. Undoubtedly, Zia went farthest in defining Pakistan as an Islamic state, and he nurtured the jihadist ideology ...
  6. ^ "A Plea for Enlightened Moderation" Archived 25 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine, by Pervez Musharraf, 1 June 2004, The Washington Post
  7. ^ Boone, Jon (15 June 2014). "Pakistan begins long-awaited offensive to root out militants from border region". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  8. ^ Cohen 2004, pp. 68–70.
  9. ^ Cohen 2004, p. 85.
  10. ^ Cohen 2004, p. 146.
  11. ^ Haqqani 2005, p. 25.
  12. ^ Baloch, Qadar Bakhsh (2006). "[Book Review] The Idea of Pakistan". The Dialogue: 136–137. ISSN 1819-6470. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.