DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Department of Defence and National Security Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh organised a special lecture on the topic ? "Pakistan: The Present Situation and Rule by Establishment" by R. K Kaushik on February 29, 2024.

Dr. Jaskaran Singh Waraich, Chairperson, Department of Defence and National Security Studies welcomed the speakers, guests as well as faculty members. research scholars and students present for the event welcome and also introduced the theme of the lecture.

R.K. Kaushik started his lecture by delving into the modern history of Pakistan. He highlighted main political parties and actors in Pakistan, and traced their origin and journey to power. He pointed out that the establishment was the primary political force in the country and other actors played second fiddle to them. He defined establishments as the deep state, led by the Army and supported by various powerful elements of civil leadership, judiciary and business community. At present the most powerful man in Pakistan in the Army Chief Asif Munir and he is currently heading the establishment He highlighted how the elections were rigged to put Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) out of power despite the PTI affiliated candidates garnered the highest number of seats. He was of the view that if the election would have been fair then PTI had been the clear winner of the elections. He traced the establishment enmity towards PTI back to former PM Imran Khan's decision of sacking the current Asif Munir from the post of the chief of the ISL. He was of the view that the answer to current political and economic tirmoil in the country lies in its history of its inception. There was a leadership crisis that prevailed after the death of Jinnah and later on assassination of former Prime Minister Liquat Ali Khan in Pakistan, power was taken by the most powerful institution of that time, which was the Army.

He also pointed to dire economic situations in Pakistan that its economy relies largely on the aid from the Gulf, the US and the IMF. Despite bad economic conditions in the country, the Army is consuming most of the national budget and the Pakistan army is a powerful one.
(editor@dailyworld.in)