Pakistan's internal political and security situation is continuing to deteriorate, even as Islamabad's politico-security establishment attempts to position itself as a mediator in the broader Middle East crisis. According to a report published this week in Eurasia Review, the country's provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), along with Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), remain deeply troubled, with no credible signs of economic recovery or meaningful governance improvement.

Militant Pressure on Two Fronts

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in Balochistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have intensified attacks on military installations, placing Pakistan's security establishment under mounting pressure in both provinces. The situation in PoJK has further compounded the crisis, with violent protests and clashes erupting as the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) confronts Islamabad over a range of unresolved grievances, according to the report.

Asim Munir's Consolidation of Power

The geopolitical turbulence triggered by the Middle East crisis has, according to the Eurasia Review report, handed Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir a strategic opening to consolidate power while steadily eroding the authority of Pakistan's civilian leadership. His position was reportedly reinforced after he found favour with US President Donald Trump, who has referred to him as his 'favourite Field Marshal' — a designation that has lent Munir heightened international visibility and domestic confidence.

Munir currently holds the dual offices of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), an unusual concentration of institutional authority. He was also, according to the report, instrumental in facilitating the passage of the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments through both Pakistan's National Assembly and the Senate.

Constitutional Changes That Tilted the Balance

The 26th Constitutional Amendment allowed a parliamentary committee to appoint the Chief Justice of Pakistan, bypassing the established seniority principle. Subsequent legislation increased the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 17 to 34 and in the Islamabad High Court from 9 to 12, reportedly to ensure a more favourable judicial composition. The amendments also extended the tenures of all armed services chiefs from three to five years. As the Eurasia Review report noted, this was 'akin to giving Asim Munir an extension before his original tenure was set to end.'

The report observed that these moves have 'undoubtedly strengthened Asim Munir's grip on the country's political system and undermined important democratic institutions, including parliament and the judiciary,' while simultaneously generating 'significant unease within society, as people's hopes for good governance, economic growth, and development have remained unfulfilled.'

Civilian Government's Diminished Standing

The coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — comprising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) — is described in the report as 'completely dependent on Munir for its survival.' The civilian dispensation 'appears to be crawling' before the army chief, according to the Eurasia Review analysis, reflecting the degree to which democratic authority has been subordinated to military power.

The report also flagged an inherent tension in Munir's approach: 'The military in Pakistan is an image-conscious institution, as it knows very well that with a dented image it may not be in a position to dictate terms.' Growing public discontent over constitutional overreach and stalled economic progress could, analysts suggest, test the limits of that image management in the months ahead.

What Comes Next

With the BLA and TTP showing no signs of de-escalation, and PoJK simmering with civil unrest, Pakistan faces a compounding internal crisis with few visible off-ramps. The civilian government's dependence on military backing leaves little room for independent political manoeuvre, while the constitutional changes have narrowed judicial checks on executive and military power. How Munir navigates the widening gap between institutional control and public legitimacy will likely define Pakistan's political trajectory through the remainder of 2025.