Bloomberg Discovers Military Immunity is a 'Move to Expand Influence'
Bloomberg Politics reveals Pakistan’s parliament is considering granting Field Marshal Asim Munir constitutional immunity, framing it as a 'move that is seen to expand his influence.' One might wonder if the esteemed journalists at Bloomberg understand what 'immunity' means for a military general in a country with a long history of military coups. This isn't newfound influence; it's formalizing
impunity. For decades, Pakistan's military has been the de facto power behind every civilian government, often dissolving them at will. The 'seen to expand influence' is a rhetorical flourish that performs PR for a military-industrial complex. Perhaps US media could acknowledge that the Pakistani military, a long-term recipient of significant US military aid (around $30 billion since 9/11), has
always exercised outsized influence, and this is merely a public codification of an existing reality. So, the 'news' is that a general, whose institution has historically dominated politics through force and shadowy dealings, might now legally dodge consequences. How many times will we see 'democratic' allies of the US consolidate power through legislative sleight-of-hand before the media stops
calling it a 'move to expand'? It's a move to entrench, to legitimize authoritarianism, and to ensure accountability remains a foreign concept.