A report by the International Centre for Peace Studies has sharply criticised Pakistan's civilian leadership, arguing that the country's 79th Independence Day on 14 August 2025 laid bare the extent to which elected officials have surrendered authority to the military establishment. The report found that ordinary Pakistani citizens were largely indifferent to the celebrations, weighed down by economic hardship, soaring prices, rising taxes, and rampant corruption.

Key Findings of the Report

The report painted a bleak picture of Pakistan at 79, stating that the country 'appears to be standing at the same crossroads where it was in 1947 — in fact, in a much worse condition.' While a civilian government is officially in charge, it argued, the military establishment has 'taken real control behind the scenes and is effectively running the country.'

The continued imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan was cited as a major driver of public frustration. According to the report, many citizens feel that the country's ruling elites are living comfortably while ordinary people are left in 'misery and squalor.'

Independence Day Celebrations: A Province Left Out

The report noted that the Islamabad Independence Day event was attended by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz — all representing Punjab. Despite Pakistan comprising four provinces, leaders from the remaining three were reportedly not invited, with the event described as 'visibly hijacked by the military.'

What the Government Said — and Did Not Say

The report reserved particular criticism for President Zardari's address, calling it 'shameful.' It described Zardari as publicly 'ego-massaging' Army Chief Asim Munir, with Prime Minister Sharif doing the same — the two appearing, according to the report, to compete over who could more visibly ingratiate themselves with the military chief.

'The political leadership had nothing to offer in terms of vision or roadmap for the country,' the report stated. It added that unable to deliver peace domestically, the leadership has pivoted to projecting itself as a global peacemaker, 'forcing the media to offer exaggerated space and coverage to it.'

Democracy 'Reduced to a Joke'

The report argued that Sharif risks setting a troubling precedent by potentially becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to complete a five-year term while 'effectively surrendering his authority completely to the army chief.' It characterised this arrangement as 'hybridity taken to its logical conclusion — a de facto military-controlled state apparatus turning democracy into a joke.'

This comes amid longstanding concerns from analysts and civil society groups about the structural subordination of civilian governments to the Pakistani military — a pattern that critics argue has persisted, in varying forms, since the country's founding. The report's findings reflect a growing body of documentation on elite capture of state institutions in Pakistan, and raise fresh questions about the viability of democratic governance there as the country navigates a severe economic crisis.