Who Is More Powerful – Pakistani Army Chief Or Defence Minister? Khwaja Asifs Hybrid Answer Has Netizens In Split

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has defended the country’s “hybrid model” of governance, where the military and civilian leadership share power, despite international criticism of Pakistan’s weak democratic record and frequent human rights violations.

In an interview with British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan, Asif dismissed claims that the military dominates Pakistan’s politics. He argued that both sides civilian and military work together in running the country.

Hasan questioned Asif about the system, calling it “strange” and pointing out that the army often appears to hold more authority than elected officials. He asked whether the Army Chief, General Asim Munir, was in fact more powerful than Asif himself. The minister rejected the suggestion, insisting, “No, it’s not like that… I’m a political appointee.”

Hasan also compared Pakistan’s system with that of the United States, where the Secretary of Defence can dismiss generals. In response, Asif sharply remarked, “They (the US) have a different model over there.”

Asif further turned the criticism around by calling the US itself a “deep state,” attempting to deflect concerns about Pakistan’s democratic shortcomings.

Hybrid Model Of Government

A hybrid government mixes features of parliamentary and presidential systems. Usually, both a President and a Prime Minister share power the PM handles daily government work, while the President manages bigger or ceremonial decisions.

This system balances power, prevents one person from dominating, and reduces clashes between branches. It’s flexible and adapts to changing situations. Countries like France, Russia, and Finland use hybrid systems to combine stability with efficiency.

Hybrid Governance? A breeding System Of Government. How?

The hybrid model of government is sometimes called a ‘breeding system’ because it is a mix of two different systems, usually parliamentary and presidential, much like how breeding combines traits from two species. It is designed to inherit the strengths of both systems balancing power, ensuring stability, and maintaining accountability creating a new system that is neither purely one nor the other.