The mask of democracy in Pakistan is slipping—fast. With General Asim Munir now emerging as the de facto ruler, backed by a puppet coalition led by Shehbaz Sharif, Islamabad’s fragile civilian façade stands exposed. This isn’t just Pakistan’s familiar military overreach. This is the clearest indication yet that the country is hurtling toward a thinly veiled military dictatorship—perhaps even full-blown martial law. The General’s grip is firm, the politicians are meek, and the script seems to have been approved by Washington’s most unpredictable patron—Donald Trump. The recent White House meeting between General Munir and Trump, reportedly bypassing both Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister, sent a clear message: the Pakistani Army, not its elected representatives, is steering the country’s domestic and foreign policies. That this meeting was quickly followed by US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities only strengthens suspicions of deep coordination between Washington and Rawalpindi. And if that’s not dangerous enough, Munir’s brazen defence of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir shows Pakistan is once again using terror as an instrument of state policy—with tacit US approval. India, to its credit, has so far responded with restraint. But make no mistake: New Delhi is watching. When Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the UNSC joint statement—citing the omission of the recent Pahalgam terror attack while the Baloch insurgency was inexplicably listed as a “threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty”—it was a diplomatic slap to both Pakistan and its Western backers. India will not be lectured on sovereignty by a nation that nurtures UN-designated terrorists, nor by powers that play both sides for geopolitical leverage. General Munir’s past rhetoric paints a disturbing picture. His 2019 remarks that “Muslims and Hindus cannot co-exist due to cultural and dietary differences” reveal not just his communal mindset but also a strategic blindness. Pakistan’s generals continue to misread India. This is not 1999. This is a new India under Narendra Modi—strong, assertive, and militarily prepared. If Pakistan imagines that Chinese weapons and American ambiguity can shield it from consequences, it is gravely mistaken.
India has already demonstrated its willingness to strike back, with the recent airstrikes in during a four-day conflict and a no-nonsense posturing thereafter, as Modi’s resolve is that any terror misadventure is treated as a war against India. The only reason Pakistan was spared a prolonged campaign recently was because India chose strategic restraint, not because it lacked capability. Today, should Pakistan provokes another terror attack, India may not hold back. A Russia-Ukraine-type scenario or an Israel-Iran-style confrontation in South Asia would not just destroy Pakistan’s already crumbling economy; it could erase it from the map altogether. The irony is rich. The United States, which prides itself on promoting global peace and democracy, seems to be propping up authoritarian strongmen everywhere—from Tel Aviv to Islamabad. Trump’s reckless international playbook, rooted in arms deals and ego, has only escalated tensions in every corner of the world. Israel, too, appears to be recalibrating its trust in Washington after realising that American backing is transactional at best and treacherous at worst. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s civil society stands helpless. The judiciary has been browbeaten. Journalists are either jailed, exiled, or silenced. And the once vocal opposition, particularly the supporters of Imran Khan, are either in prison or hiding. The idea of “democracy” in Pakistan today is a tragic joke—played out in military briefings and enforced through bayonets. So, is Pakistan heading toward martial law? The real question is—has it ever truly emerged from it? Whether it was Ayub, Zia, Musharraf, or now Munir, the khaki-clad high command has always ruled with impunity. What’s different now is that the world is watching silently, and India is no longer silent. Pakistan must choose: pull back from the brink, or face the fire. This time, there may be no turning back.
