CIVIL MILITARY EQUATION IN PAKISTAN: PERCEPTION AND REALITY

Civil-military relations is the study of how the military interacts with the state and society. The management of civil-military relations is a key to effective governance, particularly in states undergoing the transition to democracy like Pakistan. The military is generally held in high esteem in Pakistan owing to its strong nationalistic character, keeping the arch-rival India at bay despite the qualitative and quantitative differential and impressive performance in nation-building tasks. However, there is a perception that due to its perpetual stay in national polity, civil-military relations are somewhat strained. Due to the authority and position it enjoys, the perception of ‘military elitism’ has also emerged in the public, which draws criticism both locally and from abroad.