Where does power lie in Pakistan? Khawaja Asif admits to ‘Hybrid Model’

Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif defended the nation’s “hybrid model” of governance, asserting military and civilian leadership operate “by consensus.” He dismissed claims of army dominance, attributing such perceptions to past military rulers, while controversially labeling US democracy a “deep state.” Asif maintained this arrangement, though not ideal, is a “practical necessity” for managing Pakistan’s crises, despite critics branding it undemocratic.