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Defence sources speaking to CNN-News18 said that due to large number of Pakistani Punjabi soldiers in the army other soldiers from other regions feel sidelined.
The Pakistani Army is suffering from internal dissent as one particular community makes up most members, leading to others feeling sidelined. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Internal dissent within the Pakistan Army could be a factor behind recent incidents of violence within the country, defence sources speaking to CNN-News18 said. The remarks come after Tuesday’s press conference by the public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, DG ISPR, where baseless allegations were made against India.
The spokesperson of the Pakistan Army lieutenant general Ahmed Sharif Choudhary made allegations accusing India of sponsoring terror within Pakistan. It also claimed that it knows soldiers associated with those terror attacks and claimed that it has also detained a Pakistani national who was working for the Indian Army.
“In 29 April 2025 press conference the DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Choudhary has coined a new term for India – ‘state sponsored cross border terrorism’. ISPR has always been good at coining terms. The General looked so unconvincing because he knew that whatever he was speaking was full of lies, deceit and deception,” defence sources said on Wednesday.
According to the sources, there are a “significant number” of disgruntled officers and soldiers in the Pakistan Army, who are unhappy with both the ruling regime and the military leadership. The sources emphasised that this discontent could serve as motivation for elements within Pakistan to carry out such attacks domestically.
They also noted the structural difference between the Indian and Pakistani armies. “While the Indian Army is a national force representing diverse regions and communities, the Pakistan Army is often seen as a regional army, primarily led by Punjabi officers,” the sources added. This has reportedly led to alienation among personnel from other provinces, who may feel sidelined and targeted by the dominant leadership.
The Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead, has once again brought to light the deep-rooted role of Pakistan’s Army and its intelligence wing ISI in fuelling terrorism, the sources said.
They further added that a serving SSG commando named Musa has emerged as a key name in the investigation, prompting panic in the Pakistani establishment and triggering a hurried press conference by the DG ISPR.
India has shared undeniable proof of Pakistani nationals and military-trained operatives being involved, but Islamabad has never acted, the sources said.
