Pakistan’s civil-military power dynamic was laid bare during a recent interview where defence minister Khawaja Asif publicly refused to assert his constitutional authority over the Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir . The viral exchange on the Zeteo platform, with journalist Mehdi Hasan, has sparked intense debate on social media and among political observers, exposing the structural imbalance within the country’s so-called “hybrid" democratic model.

The critical moment came when Hasan posed a direct question challenging Pakistan’s democratic credentials. Citing the US system where the civilian Secretary of Defense can dismiss top generals, Hasan asked, “Can you, as Defence Minister, fire General Asim Munir?"

Asif’s response was a stammering evasion. He refused to provide a cl

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