Asim Munir vs Shehbaz Sharif: PM Missing, Army Chief Waiting - Is Pakistan Heading For New Power Clash?

Is Pakistan once again inching towards a civil-military clash? A lot of rumours are doing rounds, indicating that all is not well between the political leadership and Army Chief Asim Munir.

The delay in signing a notification for Munir's appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff has paved the way for rumours of a rift. What should have been a routine administrative formality has ballooned into a political crisis, leaving the country paralysed and exposing deep fractures within the ruling alliance and the security establishment.

Protests, Section 144 and a Prime Minister Missing in Action

The crisis sharpened as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters intensified nationwide demonstrations over the alleged mistreatment of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. With large gatherings planned in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, authorities imposed Section 144 in Rawalpindi until December 3, banning all public assemblies.

But even as the streets heat up, the political leadership seems absent. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has the constitutional authority to sign Asim Munir's new appointment as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), has been conspicuously missing from Islamabad. Reports suggest he left for Bahrain and then London - a timing that has sparked intense speculation.

The High-Stakes CDF Appointment

Munir's proposed elevation to CDF is not symbolic. The new post centralises control over the Army, Navy and Air Force, fundamentally altering Pakistan's power structure. The CDF architecture is seen as a long-term consolidation of military authority, reducing future political oversight and tightening GHQ's grip over strategic and nuclear command.

But the process has hit a sudden roadblock: the notification is still unsigned.

Shehbaz's Hesitation - Nawaz Sharif's Shadow?

According to News18, senior PML-N insiders say Shehbaz Sharif is expected to return to Islamabad on Wednesday to take a final call on the notification - though it has already been delayed several times.

Party sources allege that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are actively seeking influence over top defence appointments, particularly the Vice Chief of Army Staff and the National Strategic Command, insisting that loyalists be placed in those positions. A top PML-N source told the outlet that the Sharifs want "their own trusted men" inside the military structure to prevent a repeat of the political engineering they faced during General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure.

Growing Mistrust Over Nuclear and Strategic Oversight

Indian intelligence assessments, as cited by News18, read the Lahore detour as a sign of deepening mistrust between the Sharif family and sections of the Pakistan Army. According to these inputs, GHQ believes the Sharif camp is pushing for political influence over Pakistan's nuclear chain of command, particularly within the newly proposed Strategic Forces Command.

'Sharif Avoided the Notification': Tilak Devasher's Claim

Former National Security Advisory Board member Tilak Devasher, speaking to ANI, claimed Shehbaz Sharif intentionally left Pakistan to avoid signing the notification elevating Munir as the first-ever CDF.

"Very smartly, Pakistan PM had gone to Bahrain and from there, he pushed off to London," Devasher said. He argued that by staying away, Shehbaz is "trying to escape the consequences" of granting Munir a five-year combined term as Army Chief and CDF.

Devasher warned that the lapse has created a constitutional and operational vacuum.

"If the fact remains that he (Asim Munir) is no longer the Army chief, then you have a situation where Pakistan doesn't have an Army chief at all," he said. "Even the nuclear command authority... is also not in place. This is an extremely strange situation."Legal Ambiguity Deepens the Crisis

Pakistan's legal community is split.

Some experts argue that a formal notification is mandatory, as Munir's term as Army Chief ended on November 29.

Others point to amendments to the Pakistan Army Act (2024) and constitutional changes that make the Army Chief's tenure coterminous with the CDF, automatically extending it to five years.

According to Dawn, this amendment may already have settled the matter - but without clear administrative steps, confusion persists.

'Institutional Paralysis' in GHQ

Sources within Pakistan's bureaucracy told local media that Munir has already started functioning in a dual capacity. However, without the formal notification, several key operational decisions remain stalled. One official described the current state as "institutional paralysis."

Imran Khan's Stand Intensifies Pressure

Adding to the chaos, Geo News reported that Imran Khan's sister, Uzma Khatoon, was allowed to meet him in Adiala Jail for the first time in a month, following mounting protests and a court plea. She later told the media that Khan accused Munir of subjecting him to "mental torture."

PTI's US chapter shared a video in which Uzma reiterated that Khan's health was stable but claimed that Munir was responsible for the alleged mental harassment.

What This Means for Pakistan

The standoff over Munir's fate has become a symbolic and structural showdown over who truly controls Pakistan's future - the elected civilian government or the military establishment.

Pakistan is now trapped between:

• A paralysed civilian leadership,
• An increasingly assertive military,
• A volatile street movement, and
• A constitutional grey zone over control of nuclear and defence command.

For India, the unfolding situation is a critical geopolitical development, with implications for regional security, nuclear stability and bilateral relations.

As of now, Asim Munir's appointment remains unsigned - and Pakistan, once again, stands at the edge of a civil-military precipice.