Unraveling of the Pakistani State | Imran Khan Challenges the Army - Will He Succeed?

In this week’s conversation, Raza Ahmed Rumi and Dr. Ali Usman Qasmi sit down to discuss the compelling facets of the recent confrontations of the military establishment and the political elite in Pakistan. One of the key themes that the speakers set to unravel is whether the political and civil mobilisations are truly unprecedented in nature– an analysis for which they deep dive into the historical events that define Pakistan’s history, with a particular focus on the events of the 1971 partition of Bangladesh. In his analysis, Dr. Qasmi explains that there are limitations to the comparability of the events in 1971 and the repercussions of Imran Khan’s recent arrest from the Islamabad High Court by the paramilitary forces. He says that while, similar to Mujeeb Ur Rehman in the 70’s, Khan withholds the power to confront the army, his intersectional support across all socio-economic groups and genders is what makes him truly exceptional. Raza Rumi provides a compelling argument expressing his belief that unlike the 70’s Pakistan’s military establishment will now appear more hesitant to exert violent control and brute force in retaliation to civilian uproar and rising national discourse against the institution. Dr. Qasmi elaborates on this point by highlighting that this may not be a result of an internal ethical shift in the military as the continue to reign terror in the provinces of KPK and Balochistan, but perhaps their refrain a result of a realization that they have lost popularity in the region they enjoyed the most support and validation from– Punjab. Moreover, the role of rising urbanization and consumerism in creating what is called a “new middle class” is discussed comprehensively. The impact of a changing class structure, particularly the introduction of this new middle class in catalyzing an environment of individualism and meritocracy is also explored. This is specifically insightful for understanding why there has been a, what appears to be, national distaste for dynastic politics and admiration for politicians like Imran Khan who are lone strugglers. An anthro-socio approach to understanding the consequences of creating a singular identity and institutionalizing it is also taken by both speakers, as they assess how this myth-building has manifested itself now in populist politicians masquerading as the epitome of this one-unit national identity. Both speakers delve deep into how the state-mandated construction of a narrative that synonymizes Pakistan with the struggle to gain emancipation from the west and establish a Muslim rule has led to severe consequences in its democratic landscape. Conclusively, Raza Rumi reiterates that singular events, such as whether the elections take place or whether COAS Asim Muneer decides to step down are only relevant in the short run. He says, “these are footnotes in our history”, and reaffirms that what should be of more concern and critical analysis is whether this new wave of political awareness and participation will finally succeed in overturning the long held hegemony of the military establishment in Pakistan.