The influence of the Pakistan army has increased in the country’s economy, which has suffered from political and economic turmoil recently.
The British Financial Times quoted analysts and officials as saying that the army’s influence over the current civilian government has reached its highest level since the resignation of Bruz Mushrif in 2008.
And the Pakistani army has always had a major role in Pakistani policy, as 4 soldiers ruled the country since independence in 1947, the last of which was Bruise Musharraf, and even when civil governments in power were widespread evidence that the army leaders were of great influence, according to “Financial Times “.
In recent years, in particular, the army’s influence has extended further in the economy of Pakistan, described a United Nations report for 2021 companies related to the army as “the largest bloc in Pakistan”, and in the launch of the new five -year economic plan for New Year’s Eve on the eve of the New Year, Prime Minister Shahbaz thanked Sharif, the Chief of Staff, Assem Mounir, helped him in saving the country from the edge of failure to pay its debts in June 2023.
“I must tell you without any fear of any kind of exaggeration that I have never witnessed this type of cooperation that I received from the commander of the army and the institution,” he said.
warning
Critics warn that the increasing economic impact of the army increases the risk of its preference for its own interests over others, pointing to fears that its involvement in politics and economy distracts its attention from the work of fighting terrorism, increases societal turmoil and removes foreign investment from the country.
According to the newspaper, the Pakistani military leaders started to intensify their involvement in economic affairs at the time of the rise of Imran Khan to power in 2018, and in the midst of the economic slowdown and the accelerating growth of its major competitor India, and the army played a prominent role in the rise of Khan.
But the former Prime Minister disagreed with the leading leaders, and the generals became more skeptical that electoral democracy could achieve growth, and Pakistan was able to compete with India or serve the extensive political and commercial interests of the army, the British newspaper quoted former analysts and officials.
The need to rethink significantly increased as Pakistan’s importance for the outside world declined, and Stephen Dercon, Professor in Oxford, said, “10 years ago the United States was in Afghanistan, so Pakistan’s geopolitical position was safe, it was expected that they were seen as greater than being allowed to be allowed Failure.
Depending on the exemptions and rescue operations from friendly countries that fear that their collapse will lead to the position of nuclear weapons within the reach of Islamic groups, Pakistan postponed serious structural reforms, according to the newspaper.
Positive indicators
According to the newspaper, when Asim Munir became chief of staff of the army in November 2022 – after 7 months of overthrowing Khan and replacing him with Sharif – the country was still bleeding from the dollar reserves, and inflation was raising quickly and the rebellions began to ignite along the Afghan border.
Since then, the general has made the economy to save the economy as an essential part of his public image. Last November, he told a group of businessmen in Karachi that “all the indicators of the Pakistani economy are positive,” according to a report issued by the official news agency, and asked, “Where are the people now They spread disappointment and talk about the failure to pay? “
Munir got an extension of his term, allowing him to stay in office for 10 years instead of 6 years.
The elected government in Pakistan is now consisting of an alliance of parties that all its leaders fell into a dispute with the army in the past, but they united to prevent Khan – whose allies won the largest number of votes in the disputed elections last February – from returning to power.
With Khan in prison, the government wants to use its time in power to follow up the ambitious reforms, according to the newspaper.
understanding
The Minister of Planning, Ihsan Iqbal, says, “There is a widespread understanding between all the pillars of the state that any state of political uncertainty and political instability will be suicide bomber for Pakistan. There is a very good positive cooperation between the Foundation (a popular expression of the army) and the government to take the path of economic recovery together.” .
The working generals run the files of cash and the Pakistani National Population Register, in addition to monitoring the fight against corruption and work teams that seek to repair taxes and re -negotiate energy contracts.
Munir managed the 2023 operation against currency smuggling, while his fans are also cited his relationships with the Gulf states on which Pakistan relies on financing.
One of the senior government officials admits that there is a stretching of the army’s tasks, but he blames politicians, saying, “We have failed to take the steps that we should have taken before to reform the economy,” the British newspaper reported.
In the 18 months since Pakistan failed to pay its debts almost, the country returned to something similar At 38% in June 2023, the central bank reduced interest rates, and has enough dollar reserves to cover more than two months of imports.
Economic measures
To strengthen its finances and retain the support of the International Monetary Fund, the Pakistani government raised taxes on salaries of employees, raised energy support and promised to impose taxes on the agricultural and sensitive real estate sectors politically, according to the newspaper.
But the country’s economy is still growing slower than its population, as a million people enter the workforce every year more than official jobs.
“The growth is very low,” said Hassanein Malik, head of stock and investment strategy in the startup and border market research company.
The newspaper quoted Malik as saying that the tremendous decline in the value of the currency has left its impact on energy consumption without so far leading to an export boom, and the needs of re -financing of external debt are still very high.
