Update on The Performance of Democratic Institutions | March 2025

This update is meant to identify key developments during the month on Performance of Democratic Institutions in Pakistan with selected high-profile international developments included occasionally.

  1. Terrorist target Jaffar Express
  2. PM chairs high level security conference
  3. Meeting of the Parliamentary committee on National Security
  4. Prime Minister’s Interactions with COAS
  5. Interactions of COAS with Foreign Dignitaries

Terrorists target Jaffar Express

ICCI leadership Condemns Jaffar Express Attack, Applauds Security Forces' Swift Response – icci
Security personnel at the site where Jaffer Express train passengers were taken hostage

On March 10, Security forces conducted a daring and highly professional rescue operation for 440 passengers taken hostage after terrorists opened fire on a Peshawar bound passenger train (Jaffar express) from Quetta near Balochistan’s Bolan district. The terrorists took passengers, including women and children hostage. The proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) group claimed responsibility for the attack.[1] On March 12, military announced the conclusion of its rescue operation, after a dramatic showdown with terrorists. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that 21 passengers lost their lives and all remaining passengers had been rescued and the train, stranded near the Mashkaf Tunnel in the Bolan range had been cleared of insurgents, with all 33 terrorists killed. ISPR chief said that army, air force, Frontier Corps and SSG personnel had taken part in the operation. DG ISPR added these terrorists were in contact with their supporters and masterminds in Afghanistan during the operation via satellite phone, adding that this changes the rules of the game. DG ISPR added that some specific political elements in Pakistan also partake in media activity targeting Pakistan enthusiastically and activate their social media (teams), and instead of standing with the state, they can be seen creating baseless justifications and reasons for this horrible terrorist act, adding some elements are sacrificing the national interest due to their lust for political power. [2] President, PM, international community strongly condemned the incident.[3]

PM chairs high level security conference

Premier Shahbaz Meets General Asim Muneer - Day News TV
PM Shehbaz Sharif and COAS Gen. Syed Asim Munir

On March 13, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister, Federal Minister for Planning, Minister of Information, Governor and Chief Minister Balochistan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, NI(M), along with senior civil and military officials and leaders and representatives of political parties, attended a high level security conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat at Quetta where participants were comprehensively apprised of the security situation in Balochistan, counterterrorism efforts and an update on the successful conduct of recent operation related to Jaffer Express. Prime Minister appreciated the resolve of political leaders (especially from Balochistan) and representatives against terrorist organizations and their commitment to legislating comprehensive long-term reforms and development plan for Balochistan.[4]

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Meeting of the Parliamentary committee on National Security

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reads the declaration of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, on Tuesday.—White Star
PM Shehbaz Sharif addressing meeting of Parliamentary Committee on National Security

On March 18, Parliamentary committee on National Security meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, members of the parliamentary committee, political leaders, the Army Chief, Director Generals of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), key federal ministers and senior officials from the military and intelligence agencies. Notably, the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Mahmood Khan Achakzai, NP and Akhtar Mengal, BNP-M opted to stay away from the meeting. PTI, though, had agreed a night before March 18th to attend. However, KP Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, who belongs to PTI, attended the meeting. Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, while addressing the committee and taking notes and attentively listening for nearly six hours long briefing, emphasized the need for better governance and transforming Pakistan into a ‘hard state’, while questioning “For how long will we continue to fill the gaps of governance with the blood of our armed forces and martyrs?” Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the absence of the opposition from a crucial national-level meeting regrettable and an irresponsible attitude. He condemned the malicious attempts to create a rift between the military and the public through hateful propaganda on social media. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif read out a declaration unanimously adopted by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, reiterating the nation’s resolve to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.[5]

Prime Minister’s Interactions with COAS

PM Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif

Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met six times during March 2025:

  1. On March 13, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met during high level security conference at Quetta.[6]
  2. On March 13, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met at CMH, Quetta.[7]
  3. On March 18, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met at Parliamentary Committee on National Security meeting held at Parliament House, Islamabad. [8]
  4. March 20, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met at a meeting with His Excellency, Muhammad Bin Salman, Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia at Riyadh. [9]
  5. March 23, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met at Pakistan Day Parade, Islamabad at Aiwan e Saddar, Islamabad.[10]
  6. On March 25, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met at Funeral of COAS’s mother at Rawalpindi Race Course Ground Grave Yard.[11]

Interactions of COAS with Foreign Dignitaries

COAS pick: Lt Gen Asim Munir — a brief profile
COAS General Syed Asim Munir 

During March 2025, there were two meetings of General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) with foreign dignitaries.

References

  1. On March 18, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Commander of the National Guard of the Kingdom of Bahrain, called on General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), at General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi.[12]
  2. On March 20, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir met with His Royal Highness, Muhammad Bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia at Riyadh. [13]

  1. Abdullah Zehri | Imtiaz Ali | Sarah B. Haider | Arif Hayat | Tahir Khan, “Rescue operation for hostages underway after terrorists attack Jaffar Express in Balochistan,” Dawn online, March 11, 2025, accessed March 16, 2025. https://www.dawn.com/news/1897237/rescue-operation-for-hostages-underway-after-terrorists-attack-jaffar-express-in-balochistan ↑

  2. Syed Irfan Raza | Saleem Shahid, “Balochistan standoff ends after all Jaffar Express hostages rescued,” Dawn online, March 13, 2025, accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.dawn.com/news/1897595/balochistan-standoff-ends-after-all-jaffar-express-hostages-rescued ↑

  3. Iftikhar A. Khan, “Barbs fly even as NA resolves unity against terror,” Dawn online, March 14, 2025, accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.dawn.com/news/1897737/barbs-fly-even-as-na-resolves-unity-against-terror ↑

  4. “PM attended a high level security conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat at Quetta,” PMO online, March 13, 2025, accessed March 15, 2025. https://pmo.gov.pk/press_release_detailes.php?pr_id=5892 ↑

  5. Asim Yasin & Haider Sherazi & Muhammad Anis & Muhammad Saleh Zaafir & Mumtaz Alvi & Rana Ghulam Qadir & / News Desk, “Civil-military huddle urges unanimous political will to defeat terrorism with ‘full might’: Army chief calls for making Pakistan ‘hard state’,” The News International online, March 19, 2025, accessed March 20, 2025. https://e.thenews.com.pk/detail?id=391181 ↑

  6. “PM attended a high level security conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat at Quetta,” PMO online, March 13, 2025, accessed March 15, 2025. https://pmo.gov.pk/press_release_detailes.php?pr_id=5892 ↑

  7. “PM attended a high level security conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat at Quetta,” PMO online, March 13, 2025, accessed March 15, 2025. https://pmo.gov.pk/press_release_detailes.php?pr_id=5892 ↑

  8. Asim Yasin & Haider Sherazi & Muhammad Anis & Muhammad Saleh Zaafir & Mumtaz Alvi & Rana Ghulam Qadir & / News Desk, “Civil-military huddle urges unanimous political will to defeat terrorism with ‘full might’: Army chief calls for making Pakistan ‘hard state’,” The News International online, March 19, 2025, accessed March 20, 2025. https://e.thenews.com.pk/detail?id=391181 ↑

  9. Shahid Nadeem, “PM Shehbaz holds ‘productive talks on trade, security’ with MBS in Saudi Arabia,” Geo News online, March 20, 2025, accessed March 21, 2025. https://www.geo.tv/latest/596242-pm-shehbaz-holds-productive-talks-on-trade-security-with-mbs-in-saudi-arabia ↑

  10. “Nation celebrates 85th Pakistan Day with unity and fervor,” Samaa News online, March 23, 2025, accessed March 23, 2025. https://www.samaa.tv/index.php/2087330830-nation-celebrates-85th-pakistan-day-with-unity-and-fervour ↑

  11. “COAS Gen Asim’s mother laid to rest,” Express Tribune online, March 26, 2025, accessed March 26, 2025. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2536481/coas-gen-asims-mother-laid-to-rest ↑

  12. “His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Commander of the National Guard of the Kingdom of Bahrain, called on General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), at General Headquarters (GHQ),” ISPR online, March 18, 2025, accessed March 19, 2025. https://ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail?id=7227 ↑

  13. Shahid Nadeem, “PM Shehbaz holds ‘productive talks on trade, security’ with MBS in Saudi Arabia,” Geo News online, March 20, 2025, accessed March 21, 2025. https://www.geo.tv/latest/596242-pm-shehbaz-holds-productive-talks-on-trade-security-with-mbs-in-saudi-arabia ↑