The 1971 fall of Dhaka in what was then East Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh after defeat by arch-enemy India has been the lowest point for Pakistan's military since 1947. Populist civilian leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took charge after that debacle, holding sway over the army for five years. Khan was released by court order two days after his arrest, but Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) now faces the ire of the military. "Ultimate power in Pakistan flows through the barrel of the gun," said Shah, the academic. "The military's power comes from its ability to deploy force, not popularity - Pakistan's generals like being liked but they like being in control even more," he said.
