Robert Rotberg warns that nations fail when they cannot provide security and essential services to their citizens. Adding to this, I assert that nations falter when the parliament weakens, and the courts fail to follow the law and the constitution because of their political and personal bias. This is seen in cases such as Bhutto’s judicial murder, the conviction of Nawaz Sharif, and most recently, in the petition of the Sunni Ittehad Council. This case saw the court grant seats to PTI – neither a party to the petition nor an elected entity in the parliament – rewriting the constitution in an act of ultra vires. The military’s counter-terrorism operations, such as Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, are undermined by judicial decisions that attempt to rewrite the constitution and dictate parliamentary proceedings, creating an institutional deadlock, which may lead to the collapse of the state, as indicated by one of my research papers in 2015.

As we explore the current power dynamics, the struggle between GHQ and JHQ becomes increasingly apparent, with “digital terrorism” adding a new, dangerous dimension to the crisis in Pakistan. Many people don’t fully understand digital terrorism because it does not involve physical violence to harm individuals, making its dangers less apparent. Digital terrorism (also coined as cyber-terrorism), as described by DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif in a recent press conference on 22nd July 2024, involves the deliberate spread of false information through digital platforms to destabilise societies, erode public trust, and incite chaos.

This malicious activity is as destructive as physical terrorism, aiming to impose a will through fear and misinformation. Lt Gen Sharif highlighted the rise in propaganda and fake news against the Pakistan Army, stressing the critical need for accurate information to maintain national security and calling for stringent actions against those perpetuating false narratives. International regulations have already recognised the gravity of this situation years before. But in Pakistan, effective measures to counter digital terrorism and judicial overreach are crucial to prevent further destabilisation.

The rhetoric of “an inevitable demise” serves as a stark reminder of the........

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