COMSATS UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

ASSAIGNMENT NO 04

PAKISTAN STUDIES

SUBMITTED BY

AHMAD AFZAL.

REGISTRATION NO

(SP21-BSE-006).

SUBMITTED TO

SIR: AZEEM KHALID.

Department of Software Engineering

Question:
In all democratic countries, an elected civilian government enjoys full
control over the military. However, in Pakistan, control over
governance has oscillated between the two; a decade of civilian
supremacy followed by a decade of military rule. Identify the reasons
for this periodic shuffling by analyzing the internal and external
factors effecting the civil-military relations in Pakistan

Answer:

Civil Military Relations:

Military organizations are usually built to protect people from different
kind of threats like internal, external or existential threats.
The civil military relationship outlines the scope of civil authority,
military authority, and the relationship between these two authorities.
Nature of civil military relationship defines the type of democracy in the
country. I.e. Good democracy usually have normal civil military
relationships. Civil military relationship can also be judged by role of
armed forces in different components of society like how military employ
deals with civil contractors, how military bases are developed, how they
interact with neighbors or how military effects the politics of the
country.

Civil military relations in Pakistan:

In Pakistan, control over governance is divided into two parts; a decade
of civil supremacy followed by the decade of military rule. The reasons
for this weak democracy and periodic shuffling in Pakistan are
incompetent political leadership, weak political parties, rising power of
civil-military bureaucracy and serious security threats to the country.
Civil-military relations are remained imbalanced from the independence
of Pakistan. Pakistan has faced 4 military coups, military has ruled
Pakistan for 33 years out of 71 years, due to the effects and perception
drawn from military rule, civil-military relations has been badly
affected. It has been believed that military is the most influential
institution in the country, even it is also believed that military rules from
behind the scenes in the civil government. This type of military
supremacy can also be seen in the other strong democracies in the world
as well. This is a one side of the scenario that military is the most
influential institution the other side of scenario can be the competent
leaders and strong political parties can work together with military in
their respective zone to maintain healthy and balanced civil-military
relations.
Civil-military relations can be affected by internal, external and even
global factors. Pakistan has always remained under the various
external threats e.g. the eastern and western border always remained
unsafe to existential threats. Internal factors may include the
incompetent leadership and weak political parties, involvement of
military in internal issues especially the political disputes.

Factors to be analyzed:
1. External Threats.
2. Internal Threats.
 1. External Threats:
● Pakistan-India Relations:
The biggest external threat to Pakistan after its independence is from its
neighbor India. India has been threat to Pakistan due to many reasons,
One of its reason is Muslim Hindu conflict. India considers Pakistan as
its part and expecting it to be its part again in upcoming future because
India thing that Pakistan will not be able to survive as a state,
economically and strategically. So Pakistan made its military strong in
order to deal with these kind of threats, so that’s why in Pakistan the
military societies are stronger than the civilian societies. Military
societies are more educated and well equipped. Pakistan fought 4 wars
with India in 1947 1965, 1971 and 1999. The war of 1947 and 1965 was
due to Kashmir, the war of 1971 was due to East-Pakistan and 1999 war
was due to Kargil. The issue of Kashmir is considered as the most major
issue between Pakistan and India. The other issues includes the division
of the water resources, trade and its routes etc.
Under the presence of these threats, there is a need of strong army to
deal with these threats because these threats lead to the roots of the
country.

● Terrorism:
The other major external issue that Pakistan is facing is terrorism.
Pakistan is facing terrorism after the invasion of Soviet Union in
Afghanistan. The Mujahidin that fought soviet war then moved to
Kashmir and starting fighting against India. Unfortunately India blames
Pakistan for this terrorism but in reality Pakistan itself is the facing the
terrorism. In past, most of the cities in Pakistan even the capital
remained unsafe of terrorism. In order to deal with this terrorism, the
country need the extra strong military and this is also one of the cause of
imbalanced civil-military relations.
 2. Internal Threats:

● Crisis of Leadership:
In the first year of Independence, the Pakistan was dependent on the
charismatic personality of Jinnah. He was the Governor General as well
as the President of the Constitutional Assembly. However, he died on
11th September’ 1948. After the death of Jinnah Pakistan is lacking the
competent civilian leadership. If country lacks the civilian leadership,
then there is the need of alternate leadership for the existence of the
country. Military leadership is considered as the best replacement under
such circumstances. The first Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaqat Ali
Khan, lead the country with courage but lacked the authority of the
Jinnah. He strengthened the Parliamentary System, but in October 1951,
he was assassinated. The crisis in democracy started after the death of
the Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan. At that time, bureaucracy started
doing involvement at various levels. The bureaucrats did not take long
to convert the Governor General office into an instrument of
bureaucratic involvement. Some critics and analyst says that early
involvement of bureaucracy was one of the biggest reason of imbalanced
civil-military relations.

● Provincialism:
The geographical separation of East and West Pakistan caused various
administrative, social, economic and financial issue. These issues lead
East and West Pakistan into separation. Under such circumstances
military played a vital role that may be the reason of imbalanced civil-
military relations.
● Constitutional Making Dilemma 1947-56:
The constitutional making dilemma 1947-56 has empowered the military
supremacy instead of civil supremacy. The controversy that the Punjabis
has dominated the Pakistanis elites as well as the East Pakistanis elites
caused the delay of 9 years in making the constitution of Pakistan. Due
to the difference of opinion between two groups, military was utilized to
neutralize the situation that military involvement empowered the
military and the popularity of military has been increased in civil and
public groups. Although the situation was not properly neutralized and
East Pakistan and West Pakistan was separated.
This separation empowered and military and caused the imbalanced
civil-military relations.

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