IN Pakistan’s turbulent political history, the role of institutions — especially the military — has been a recurring theme.

No analysis of the state’s evolution is complete without acknowledging the Pakistan Army’s significant footprint in national affairs. However, in a telling and categorical statement on June 27, 2025, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, issued what is perhaps the clearest official assertion yet: “The Pakistan Army has nothing to do with politics.” This declaration did not emerge in a vacuum. It follows a consistent pattern of public messaging from the military leadership under Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, whose tenure has seen a marked shift in the Army’s outward posture. From the aftermath of the May 9, 2023 riots to the latest civil-military interactions, the institution has adopted a visibly restrained role, steering clear of overt political engagement. The timing is also significant. With Pakistan’s democratic system tested by successive waves of instability, accusations of interference, and a deteriorating trust deficit among political players, the military’s unambiguous distancing from politics offers a much-needed institutional reset.

Observers note that the military’s posture under Field Marshal Asim Munir has not only been rhetorical but has also reflected in actions. There has been no visible manipulation of electoral outcomes, no mid-term engineering, and no overt signaling favoring one political faction over another. For a country where even whispers of the establishment’s........

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