Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has once again described the country’s governance system as a “hybrid” model, insisting that both the civilian leadership and the military take decisions by “consensus.”
In an interview with British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan on his platform Zeteo, Asif attempted to downplay the widely acknowledged role of the Pakistan Army in state affairs. When pressed on whether Army Chief General Asim Munir holds more authority than him, Asif replied, “No, it’s not like that. I’m a political appointee, I’m a political worker.”
Hasan argued that in the United States, the defence secretary can fire generals, a power not available to civilian leaders in Pakistan. To this, Asif responded that America too has a system influenced by a “deep state.”
Blaming past regimes for strengthening the military’s role, Asif defended the “hybrid” model as a practical arrangement. “It’s not equal… We can agree to disagree. It is by consensus, whatever is taking place,” he said.
Pakistan has witnessed multiple military takeovers in the past, with army chiefs ruling as presidents under martial law. Despite that history, Asif maintained that the current system functions jointly, rejecting claims of military dominance.
Earlier this month, the defence minister courted controversy at the United Nations Security Council when he repeatedly fumbled references to Operation Sindoor — India’s May offensive against Pakistan — while speaking at a dialogue on artificial intelligence in warfare.
