Nawaz Sharif's Standing In The Military

Before coming to the specific subject it would be worth clarifying that the Pakistani military is a more democratic institution than any other in the country where good discipline still reigns supreme. Military and democracy are two opposing entities but the Pakistani military brass manage their affairs through a detailed and deliberate system run by internal organizations providing regular pulse of the troops and young officers to the higher command. This pulse report is a major factor in decision making by the top brass of the military who have the broader picture and other sensitive information also in perspective to which troops and young officers are not privy to. Final arbitrator in all decisions are the services chiefs and once a decision is made, it is never questioned but followed with the above mentioned knowledge well known by the men who are tasked to accomplish respective orders. This procedure is part of the Pakistani military culture and as Mao Zedong stated:

"an army without culture is a dull-witted army and a dull-witted army can not defeat the enemy." 

 The system is not perfect as it's ultimately a personality oriented mechanism but it's still the best running and functional system in the nuclear armed Islamic republic, providing it the much desired stability and sustainability in the international nation state systems. This system controls the arsenal of Armageddon and commands maximum leverage in the power dynamics of Pakistan. It best suits the managers of this system to keep it running the way it's going on for well over six decades since gaining independence from the British Raj. Within this time period Pakistani military ruled directly most of the time and indirectly for the rest. The only time the military was restricted to its respective domain was the brief period rite after independence when honest and dedicated politicians ruled the country selflessly and their only priority was nation building and public welfare. The other time was when a self styled revolutionary Z A Bhutto ruled after Pakistan lost half of its eastern wing due to an unbalanced war with India. Z A Bhutto in his revolutionary yet rash rule destroyed the Pakistani economy by nationalizing the entire private industrial complex in the country, but his popular image afforded him to sustain his rule. However, he was eventually hanged to death for political murders, but that only became possible because he challenged the military and even insulted the officers corps in an effort to "put them in their place."  Bhutto seriously miscalculated his popularity in his bid to take over absolute power in a country where military closely monitors the moral authority of the rulers based on their governance. This same moral authority is directly proportional to their leverage of control over the military establishment in Pakistan, who are the real power brokers of the "deep state". The same procedure and control allowed the Pakistani Army to kick out Nawaz Sharif in the past; once indirectly and later directly from power.

Father of a slain Pakistani Army Officer kisses the forehead of the Army chief  putting his trust in him like the majority of  Pakistan's  population that take their military as the last line of defence against all enemies foreign and within 

Pakistan military holds tight control and their fair share in the power dynamics of Pakistan and jealously guard them. This is supported by popular public sentiment in the country. The Pakistani military's organizational strength and the ability to lay down their lives for their country, in the highest officers to men killed in combat ratio around the world, affords them the moral authority and public popularity and acceptance of their unconventional hold on power dynamics of Pakistan. The Pakistani military has become very comfortable with this arrangement and the only challenge to their hold in these power dynamics can be a leader with moral authority or a revolutionary mindset.

Nawaz Sharif is (almost unanimously) hated to the core by the junior leadership of the military due to the corruption allegations against his family, especially in the aftermath of the panama papers scandal. The same feelings of disgust and mistrust against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are in the junior leadership, who directly command the troops and portray their feelings to the higher command. This forced the powerful Chief of Pakistani Army Gen Raheel Sharif to directly confront the Prime Minister Raheel Sharif (No Relation) a few days ago. Gen Raheel told Nawaz Sharif to expedite the accountability process and solve the panama papers crisis without further delay. This direct confrontation at the PM House in Islamabad was widely circulated in the national media which gave the young military leadership assurance that their higher command is doing something to resolve their apprehensions about the current civilian leadership.

Having said that, the point to be noted is that firstly the military top brass does not wish to derail the democratic process in the country which is still in its infancy. International opinion is also averse to direct military rule and the brass knows it too well to take any rash action against the civilian government. The current arrangements as stated regarding the power dynamics of Pakistan only suit the military brass. Hence, the Pakistani security establishment will not directly intervene and take over the government like in the past until and unless the federation of Pakistan is at stake due to anarchy, chaos or any other lethal factor. The Pakistani security establishment will keep on facilitating the democratic  process in the country until the time that it either self corrects or self destructs. However, it is the military brass's desire to allow the course of law take place at it's natural pace in regards to the corruption charges faced by Mr Nawaz Sharif by the Pakistani judicial system.

 Nawaz Sharif has however lost all respect and moral stature within his country's military who don't take him seriously anymore and consider him for to be the protector of the corrupt to the core political class fighting to retain their looted riches at public expense whilst continuing to plunder. In the meantime the current power dynamics of the country won't change until the Pakistani public with more than 70% turnout predominantly votes in a civilian leadership with strength of character which gives them the moral authority to challenge the military's hold in the dynamics of the country. Until such a time, what seems to remain the order of the day in Pakistan, in the words of  the legendary Chinese leader Mao Zedong:

" Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

 Mao Zedong