The war with India revives the army's popularity in Pakistan

Pakistan has been suffering from a complex political, economic, and security crisis for years, but right now it feels like a winner. Its government has declared it so: they have won the biggest military clash with India in the last fifty years. In response, political parties and citizens organized demonstrations to celebrate the role of the armed forces.

According to analysts, the four days of fighting in early March They might be considered more of a draw. Pakistan has suffered at times that it cannot hide, but by standing up to its more powerful neighbor, it has managed, at least temporarily, to relegate its serious problems to the background. Against this backdrop, a renewed—if fragile—public confidence in the state and in the military, the country's most dominant institution, has begun to emerge.

"It seems we have won something. We are not a failed state," says Hafeez Siddiqui, a bank accountant in Karachi, the country's largest city. "At least the military has shown that it is capable of doing its job."

Just a few weeks ago, public sentiment was markedly different. Pakistan was an exhausted nation fearing war with India, a rising global power with an economy ten times the size of Pakistan's.

From Exhausted to Victorious

Since 2022, the country has been facing serious political polarization as a result of the dismissal of Prime Minister Imran Khan and subsequent imprisonment, events believed to have been supported by army generals. The legitimacy of the current government, which came to power last year after elections widely considered rigged by the military, remains questionable.

The country's economic situation is also dire. There are widespread increases in fuel, food, and electricity prices, which are increasingly affecting the working and middle classes and exacerbating social discontent.

Pakistan's internal security situation has also worsened. Militant groups have stepped up attacks in the northeastern region bordering Afghanistan, and separatist insurgents are challenging state control in the southwest.

As quickly as theEscalation of tensions after 26 civilians were killed In a terrorist attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir—an attack India linked to Pakistan—the conflict ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

In this context, Pakistan agreed to end face-to-face combat with India, as an equal, and claimed to have hit the Indian army in a particularly sensitive spot: some of its most advanced fighter jets. This encouraged the Pakistanis to accept the narrative of victory. For the army, it was a fitting opportunity to rehabilitate its image as a pillar of trust in the country's life and divert attention from accusations of political repression.

The aura of victory can help the army's image.

General Syed Asim Munir, who assumed command of the army months after the ouster of former Prime Minister Khan, was known for his reticent nature and limited public appearances. Munir had become a despised figure among urban middle-class youth due to the Shah's military and security crackdown on South Asian military personnel at Georgetown University.

As the conflict with India grew, General Munir took on a more visible role, and his image now appears on billboards across the country, portrayed as a “national savior” and a force of force, “an unpopular and politicized institution,” says Shah. General Munir’s rehabilitated image reflects a common pattern in Pakistan. Tensions with India often boost the public image of army chiefs. General Pervez Musharraf, for example, gained popularity during the Kargil conflict with India,9 when Pakistani forces infiltrated Indian-controlled territory. Later that same year, General Musharraf seized power in a coup. Moreover, the army also faces a threat to its image because of the difficulties it faces in addressing the country’s internal security challenges.