By Naqi Akbar (Exclusive Analytical Article)
The second week of October saw yet another display of street power by a political party turned pressure group, culminating in a violent clash during the early hours of October 13, 2025. The actual details emerging from both sides appear bizarre, and in a society where the global index rating on the ‘right to know’ or the ‘public disclosure’ of information must have hit an all-time low, it remains a free-for-all among the affected party, the established order, and their paid supporters. This ongoing battle of claims and counterclaims has only deepened the confusion. At present, both sides continue to circulate information that rarely stands verification or authenticity.
Unlike previous such episodes, the current experience is marked by an intense struggle from both camps to shape public opinion and gain sympathy. In earlier examples between June 1992 and July 2007, the groups or ‘Jinns’ to be uninstalled operated in a media environment largely dominated by the government and the establishment, while the opposing movements relied solely on grassroots emotional support. The only comparable instance in recent history was the establishment’s partnership in the 2018 ‘Hybrid’ political experiment. In the latest two cases, spanning from April 2022 to October 2025, the opposition has managed to cause noticeable cracks in the dominant national or deep-state narrative in the public eye, pushing both the state and government toward tighter control over society.
Exploring this issue head-on, the role of the deep state in Pakistan’s unstable political journey has consistently resulted in a divided society — whether along ethnic, sectarian, or ideological lines. The state’s persistent bid to control politics and society from behind the scenes reflects the Quranic warning about “Khanaas,” the hidden enemy who attacks in secrecy — a metaphor that resonates strongly with the working of an intelligence apparatus.
Whether the goal has been to neutralize opposition to unconstitutional regimes or to fragment dissent to weaken its collective strength, the result has always been the same: the rise of political entities and trends emboldened by deep-state support, eventually attempting to grow beyond the limits assigned to them. These overreaches have repeatedly sparked political turmoil, unrest, and governance paralysis, derailing developmental agendas and policymaking due to the inflated political egos created by state patronage.
In cases where the establishment politically engineered specific urban centers, developmental records show that critical infrastructure and utility projects have suffered the most. Such politically tailored setups are constantly haunted by internal disagreements and, in extreme scenarios, the specter of the dreaded “dead bodies in sacks” phenomenon that continues to taint the collective memory of the public.
Within the recurring hybrid experiments periodically undertaken, political groups aligned with the establishment have enjoyed unchecked freedom to disrupt democratic processes. The 2018 and 2024 elections stand out as key examples of this hybrid political laboratory in action. The next stage of that experiment was defined by the inability of all involved stakeholders to rejuvenate the economy or at least instill confidence in the business community that their investments would remain secure and free from undue scrutiny.
Regrettably, the fallout from these two disastrous hybrid experiments has been the near-total erosion of business confidence. The bleak appearance of marketplaces and commercial centers validates claims of economic destruction. The state’s heavy-handed focus on resource mobilization through aggressive taxation has further terrified entrepreneurs. Ironically, all participants in these hybrid arrangements have remained dutifully focused on filling government coffers, while ordinary citizens continue to live in disillusionment and despair.
Looking at the broader social impact, it becomes evident that Pakistan’s society, economy, and political system are now trapped in trends where genuine economic revival, a rational political process, and national unity have become rare commodities, long removed from public visibility.
As the ongoing process of political “uninstalling” follows its predictable trajectory, it is high time for the powers that be to reflect seriously on the outcomes of these repeated pursuits. Whether dealing with radical religious groups or politically charged trends, both have eventually turned into major liabilities for the establishment. The religiously extreme outfits, once patronized, have shown no hesitation in aligning with adversaries after being cast aside. Similarly, political movements once nurtured under hybrid setups have transformed into cult-like factions, capable of mobilizing masses and turning segments of the younger generation against the state itself. The very ideas once celebrated as signs of innovation within the hybrid framework have now become enduring burdens.
For any meaningful exit, resorting to unrestrained force against such groups will merely create new political martyrs — of which Pakistan already has plenty. The symbolic power of martyrdom in politics can override all reasoning unless dealt with delicately and strategically. In the case of religious outfits, treating them as ‘chosen’ at one stage and then publicly targeting them later only worsens the cycle of intolerance. A society already fractured by sectarian and political polarization cannot endure further divisions.
A strong, consistent, and mature political culture is the only viable remedy — though admittedly, a utopian aspiration in Pakistan’s current context. Still, it remains the only sustainable path toward democratic stability. Political forces must reclaim the central stage instead of leaving it to artificially created hybrid models made up of ‘retired anchors,’ ‘spent celebrities,’ or ‘for-hire influencers’ who only add noise to the national discourse.
The state, therefore, must retreat from its overextended interference and allow the Pakistani people to rediscover their agency. Only by doing so can public opinion organically shape a way out of the current political and institutional quagmire. It may sound like a distant dream, yet it remains the only hope of a well-meaning Pakistani who desires a society guided by authentic representation rather than manipulation.
