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Chinese People's Liberation Army honour guard members march during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2025, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
Since Pakistan’s independence, its military has played a vital role in the stability and defense of the country. But it has also undermined the authority of civilian leaders for most of Pakistan’s history, disrupting democratization and ruling the country directly for 33 years. Despite having gone to war with India four times and using support for jihadi proxies as a foreign policy tool, Pakistan has remained an important ally for the United States.
As NATO draws down its forces in Afghanistan, how will Pakistan’s military shape the future of the region? Will it complete the task of confronting the Islamist militants it supported in the past or will Operation Zarb-e-Azb fizzle out like previous similar campaigns? Will tensions along the Line of Control in Kashmir reignite hostilities with India? Will the Pakistani military allow elected civilian leaders to govern foreign and national security policies?
On Friday, November 14th, Hudson Institute hosted a panel discussion with the author of a recent book on the Pakistani military, Professor T.V. Paul, author of The Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World Professor Aqil Shah, author of The Army and Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan, was unable to join the discussion due to illness.
Professor T.V. Paul and Ambassador Husain Haqqani assessed the current scenario unfolding on the Indian subcontinent.
Click here to read Professor Aqil Shah's PowerPoint presentation.
Click here to read Professor T.V. Paul's PowerPoint presentation.
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