Pakistan has long played a precarious double game in its foreign relations, attempting to extract benefits from both China and the United States while maintaining its own strategic interests. However, this approach is fraught with risks, particularly given China’s extensive infiltration into Pakistan’s military and civilian communications infrastructure. While Islamabad seeks to manipulate the geopolitical rivalry to its advantage, it is increasingly evident that Beijing holds the upper hand, thanks to its deep technological entrenchment in Pakistan’s defense and intelligence apparatus.
Pakistan’s Reliance on Chinese Communication Infrastructure
The Pakistani military’s entire communication network is based on Chinese technology, with Huawei playing a pivotal role. The infrastructure includes:
- PASCOMS exchanges across the country, ensuring military communication is reliant on Chinese equipment.
- DEFCOMS-based LTE smartphones used across the Army, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and Navy.
- Chinese satellites and VSAT equipment, which are essential for military operations.
- Optical fiber connections (OFC) and Bulk Encryption Units (BEU), providing encrypted military communication that remains susceptible to Chinese oversight.
- Huawei-built microwave towers, essential for PASCOMS and DEFCOMS networks.
- Complete integration of PTCL and all major cellular networks with Chinese technology, making civilian and military communications equally vulnerable.
This extensive reliance on Chinese infrastructure means that Pakistan’s military communications are effectively under Beijing’s watchful eye. Any assumption that Islamabad can maintain operational secrecy from China is an illusion.
The U.S. Perspective: Pakistan as a Compromised Ally
Despite its deep ties with China, Pakistan continues to court Washington by presenting itself as a counterterrorism partner and regional stabilizer. However, the U.S. intelligence community is well aware of Pakistan’s duplicity. While Islamabad seeks American financial aid and diplomatic backing, Washington understands that Pakistan’s military simultaneously collaborates with China on defense projects, intelligence sharing, and economic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Moreover, the U.S. has identified a clear Chinese strategy in the region:
- Choking Pakistan’s vital communication channels, whether by sea or land, through technological dominance.
- Fueling regional instability to render Pakistani trade routes unreliable for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- Imposing economic pressures through tariffs and diplomatic maneuvers to weaken Chinese investments in Pakistan.
The Indian Angle: Pakistan’s Internal Struggles and Strategic Vulnerabilities
India has closely observed Pakistan’s internal instability and is positioning itself to exploit the country’s political and economic turmoil. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has openly advocated for the voluntary balkanization of Pakistan, which aligns with India’s long-term strategic goals. The unrest in Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has been exacerbated by the Pakistani military’s repressive tactics, leading to increased separatist movements.
These regions are crucial to China’s BRI investments, and India’s support for separatist factions serves a dual purpose:
- Weakening Pakistan’s territorial integrity to disrupt Chinese trade routes.
- Countering China’s economic influence in South Asia, ensuring that BRI does not establish a firm foothold in the region.
As Pakistan’s military enforces a Punjab-centric rule at the expense of its peripheries, separatist sentiments continue to grow. Political dissent has been crushed, and military rule has become the norm, fueling resentment among marginalized communities. The nation’s economic decline has only worsened this crisis, with widespread poverty leading to severe social vulnerabilities.
A Nation in Crisis: The Social and Economic Fallout
Pakistan is now ranked as the second most terror-affected country in the world, just behind Burkina Faso. The past three years since the regime change have seen little progress—except for a few cricket matches held under extreme security in Lahore. The economic devastation is widespread, with reports of extreme poverty emerging from rural areas. Families struggle to afford basic food, and rising costs have forced many to ration meals to unsustainable levels.
This economic desperation has led to increased social chaos. Rural communities face severe hardships, with reports of children being exploited due to absent fathers working as laborers in cities. Young boys fall victim to predators, while daughters face threats in a lawless environment. The Pakistani military, ruling the country from behind the curtains, instead of addressing these crises, remains focused on power consolidation, ignoring the suffering of its people.
Additionally, Pakistan is rapidly transitioning from a water-stressed country to a water-scarce nation at an alarming pace. This environmental crisis, exacerbated by mismanagement and climate change, further weakens Pakistan’s already fragile infrastructure and economy.
Where is Pakistan Headed?
Pakistan’s political landscape is dominated by a military regime that has undermined democratic processes to install a puppet government. The only leader with genuine popular support, Imran Khan, remains imprisoned on fabricated charges, an act widely seen as a measure to suppress democratic aspirations.
Meanwhile, 93% of the population now considers their own military to be the country’s greatest adversary, according to a recent poll. The disconnect between the rulers and the ruled has never been starker. The question remains: Is there any hope for Pakistan?
پاکستان کا اصل دشمن کون ہے؟
— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) March 6, 2025
The only viable path forward is the restoration of democracy and civilian rule. This requires Imran Khan’s return to power and a restructuring of the military’s role—ensuring that it retreats to the barracks and relinquishes control over governance. Only then can Pakistan break free from the cycle of instability and regain control over its national destiny.
Conclusion: Pakistan’s Double Game is No Secret to China
Pakistan believes it can outmaneuver both China and the U.S. through its strategic balancing act, but the reality is far different. China, with its deep access to Pakistan’s military communications, already knows every move Islamabad makes. While Pakistan seeks to extract economic and military benefits from both superpowers, it ultimately risks becoming a pawn rather than a player in the great power rivalry.
With India actively seeking to destabilize Pakistan, the situation grows even more precarious. The Pakistani military’s misplaced priorities—suppressing democracy while maintaining dubious alliances—only accelerate the nation’s decline. Without a drastic course correction, Pakistan’s future is at serious risk, not from external threats alone, but from the very institutions that claim to protect it.
