On May 9, 2023, thousands of angry protesters across Pakistan stormed the streets, damaging both public and private properties, with military-linked sites being the main targets.
According to Al Jazeera, some of the places attacked included the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the home of a top army commander in Lahore – which was burnt down – and other army facilities and statues.
These protesters, loyal to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were reacting to the arrest of their leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was picked up at the Islamabad High Court over corruption allegations.
Although Khan was freed within two days, the protests were a serious blow to the military’s long-standing dominance. The army has always been seen as the most powerful force in the country, with strong control over national matters.
Fast forward two years, on May 11, 2025, citizens once again trooped out – but this time to celebrate and hail the same military they once attacked.
Pakistan and India had recently clashed militarily, with both sides claiming victory. The scale of the attacks, which involved hitting each other’s installations, had not been seen since their 1971 war.
But one thing was clear: the conflict led to a major rise in how the Pakistani public saw their military. Many now felt the army had done well defending the country.
A Gallup Pakistan poll between May 11 and 15 revealed that 96% of over 500 respondents believed Pakistan won. Also, 82% rated the army’s performance as “very good,” and 92% said the clash improved their view of the military.
From ‘Black Day’ to ‘Day of Righteous Battle’
A day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire, major Pakistani cities were filled with celebrations. People were on motorbikes and in cars, waving flags and singing praises of the military, especially its leader, General Syed Asim Munir.
This joy came after a tense four-day standoff with India – a situation that, according to analysts, reinforces the army’s importance in Pakistan.
It all started on May 7, after an attack in Indian-held Kashmir left 26 dead. India blamed Pakistan and responded by firing missiles into Pakistani areas, killing at least 51 people, including 11 soldiers and children.
For the next three days, both nuclear powers exchanged missiles, drones and heavy fire, nearly pushing South Asia into a full war.
Once peace returned, Pakistan’s government named May 10 as “The Day of Righteous Battle,” flipping the memory of May 9, 2023 – once described as a “Black Day” due to the anti-army riots by PTI supporters.
Six days after the ceasefire, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the army’s efforts, calling it a “golden chapter in military history.” He said Pakistanis were standing with the army “like a wall made of lead,” referring to the operation code-named Bunyan Marsoos.
Even Imran Khan, jailed since August 2023, released a statement urging continued public support for the army, stressing that national morale strengthens the armed forces.
From Respect to Fear
Since independence in 1947, Pakistan’s military, especially the army, has remained the country’s most dominant force.
Maria Rashid, a political lecturer at SOAS in London, noted that the army has always tried to be seen as the protector of both the country’s borders and its identity.
This influence was built through four coups and years of both direct and indirect rule. In 2022, outgoing army chief General Qamar Bajwa admitted that the military had long interfered in politics but promised to stop.
But things started to change in recent years. When Khan took office in 2018, he claimed to be aligned with the military. However, like those before him, the relationship turned sour.
After his removal through a no-confidence vote in April 2022, Khan openly accused the military and the U.S. of orchestrating his downfall – claims both parties deny.
When General Munir became army chief in late 2022, things got worse. Khan and PTI resisted heavily, leading to many criminal charges and sedition accusations against them.
The May 9, 2023 protests led to a major clampdown. Thousands of PTI members were arrested, with many tried in military courts.
Although the military has previously been accused of repression, Rashid said this time was different. “The fall from grace was loud and public,” especially with social media making it harder for the military to control the story.
She added that while people used to revere the military, these days, it’s more about fear.
The Role of India in Pakistan’s Military Influence
Wars with India in 1948, 1965, 1971, and 1999 – mostly over Kashmir – have helped shape the army’s importance in Pakistani society.
Political analyst Muhammad Badar Alam said the “constant threat from India” is a big reason why the army holds so much power.
Since their last full war in 1999, India has accused Pakistan of supporting militant attacks, especially in Kashmir. Pakistan denies these claims, saying it only gives moral backing to the Kashmiri struggle.
There have been several deadly attacks in India blamed on Pakistani elements – notably the 2008 Mumbai attacks. While Islamabad admitted the attackers were Pakistanis, it denied any official involvement.
India-Pakistan ties have worsened since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist BJP came to power in 2014. India has since struck targets inside Pakistan in 2016, 2019 and now, in 2025.
Alam said Modi’s tough position has helped the Pakistani army defend its powerful role. “As long as there’s a threat from India, the military will remain important,” he said.
A War of Perception?
India and Pakistan shared different stories about the recent fight. Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian jets and saw the U.S.-led ceasefire as a win. Trump also pushed for a solution to Kashmir – something India insists must be handled without foreign help.
India said it successfully hit terror camps and military positions deep inside Pakistan.
Commentator Arifa Noor said that in any country, a fight with a neighbouring enemy usually boosts support for the government and army – and Pakistan is no different.
However, she warned that it’s too early to say how this new love for the military will affect politics. Provinces like Punjab showed strong support, but regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – which face more military repression – may not feel the same way.
Alam agreed, adding that most of the excitement was seen in urban areas. He also pointed out that with Imran Khan still in jail, it’s hard to say how PTI supporters now view the military.
Will This Support Last?
Experts say that the military’s popularity boost might not last long. Niloufer Siddiqui, a political science professor in New York, said future events – especially India’s response and PTI’s political approach – will shape public opinion.
Rashid, author of Dying to Serve, said Pakistanis now need to find a way to separate the army’s good work at the borders from its interference in local politics.
“We must be able to criticise the military’s role in politics, while recognising that they defended the country effectively this time,” she said.
Alam added that the military, too, must learn from this moment. “We can’t always be at war with India. Fixing the economy should be the main focus now – it’s becoming a survival issue.”
