For decades, Pakistan’s military has been the country’s most vital institution. Although it frequently intervened to oust elected governments, many Pakistanis saw this as salvation from the country’s blundering politicians. The army, it was thought, was the only force capable of holding the country together. The military has suffered a catastrophic loss of prestige after the populist former prime minister Imran Khan directly challenged its influence. This month, Pakistani military posts were hit by separate militant attacks in the country’s south and along the border with Afghanistan.

---

Persons: Imran Khan, Khan, —, Syed Asim Munir, Khan’s, Munir, Narendra Modi Organizations: archrival India, Pakistani Locations: Pakistan, China, Russia, Washington, Afghanistan, Iran, Iranian