Military Power In Pakistan Essay

Military Coup in Pakistan – the Effects of De Jure Power

The military is a powerful, strong and independent institution of the state. The military is a proper organization of state which is responsible for the maintenance of the internal law and protects the country against any external threat. As this institution is independent, it has been designated the power to enforce the law and formulate its own law which can change the political institutions of the state.

The country can be segmented into three categories; the rich, the poor and the military. The rich and the poor have to pay the tax while the military is paid from the tax revenue. These players compete over the tax rate and the rent obtained by the military. It is being widely known that military always align with the rich and their regime is always governed under the rich-military coalition. Military coups always happened whenever the state wants to get the authority and they show little dependence on the military institution. The second reason is that when the general public gets tired of the ruling party and loses confidence on them, then the military coupe occurs.

History of Military Coup in Pakistan

The relation between the civil and military in Pakistan has been disturbing. Since the independence, in 68 years, the military has taken over the democratic government three times.

This was the first of many unsuccessful coup attempts in the country. A plan to assassinate General Zia-ul-Haq was exposed in 1980. This was plotted by Major General Tajammul Hussain Malik. Major General Zahirul Islam Abbasi, with the support of Islamic extremists, made another unsuccessful coup attempt in the history of Pakistan during Benazir Bhutto’s regime. Apart from such failed attempts, the military has been successful in overthrowing the government thrice in