ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has said that calling the current governance model a “hybrid system” is misleading and inappropriate, urging the use of a better term to reflect the cordial working relationship between Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership.
Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Jirga” on Saturday, Sanaullah responded to recent remarks made by senior PML-N leader and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who had termed the current governance arrangement under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a successful hybrid model.
Sanaullah clarified that if “hybrid” is being used to describe cooperation between the country’s political and military institutions in matters of economy, defence, and prosperity, then the cooperation itself is commendable — but the term “hybrid” carries negative connotations.
“What I have seen in the dictionary, the meaning of hybrid is two-faced, which does not suit our context,” Sanaullah said, adding,
“If you mean a working relationship that benefits the country — then yes, we should have such cooperation. But it deserves a more suitable term.”
He went on to emphasize that complete harmony and trust currently exist between the civilian government and the military leadership — a relationship that has helped stabilize the economy and effectively respond to Indian aggression, earning Pakistan global recognition.
The adviser also indirectly distanced the current setup from past controversial periods, especially during the PTI-led government under Imran Khan, when cooperation between civil and military leadership was marred by distrust and political instability.
Meanwhile, Sanaullah’s statement echoes criticism made a day earlier by another PML-N leader, Federal Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, who also objected to Khawaja Asif’s use of the term “hybrid system.” Abbasi argued that the current decision-making lies firmly in the hands of the PML-N leadership, and likening it to a hybrid setup undermines the democratic credentials of the current government.
“The top leadership of the PML-N is fully in charge. Calling this arrangement a hybrid model is not only misleading but also self-defeating,” Abbasi had stated.
As debates continue within the ruling party on how best to define Pakistan’s evolving governance dynamic, Rana Sanaullah has called for more accurate terminology that reflects cooperation, not control — and a partnership, not puppetry.
