An Introduction to Pakistan's Military
Report, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
July 2011
Authors: Francisco Aguilar, Former Belfer IGA Fellow 2009-2012, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Randy Bell, Former Belfer IGA Fellow 2008-2010, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Natalie Black, Sayce Falk, Former Belfer IGA Fellow 2009-2011, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Sasha Rogers, Former Belfer IGA Fellow 2009-2011, Aki J. Peritz
The Pakistani military remains an opaque entity, both inside and outside of the country. Few publicly available reports exist for those seeking a basic understanding of its leaders, functions, or allegiances. An Introduction to Pakistan's Military is the first of two Belfer Center reports examining the Pakistani military. To assemble this report, the authors interviewed over two-dozen retired Pakistani military officers, principally in Islamabad and Karachi. The authors also conducted nearly forty additional interviews with Pakistani politicians, civil society actors, journalists, and military experts, as well as with US and European military, diplomatic, and intelligence officers and analysts.
The first report examines Pakistan’s:
- Overall strategic security and threat environment;
- Military history since 1947;
- Conventional military capabilities;
- Nuclear strategy and security posture; and
- Current counterinsurgency (COIN) efforts (briefly).
The second report will:
- Explore in more detail Pakistan’s current counterinsurgency efforts;
- Evaluate threats to internal cohesion and fears of Islamist infiltration into the Pakistani military;
- Assess the traits of current and future Pakistani military leaders; and
- Examine the relationship between the Pakistani military and the civilian government.
For more information about this publication please contact the Belfer Center Communications Office at 617-495-9858.
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