LAHORE: A Pakistani minister has described himself as an "ordinary worker" of Field Marshal Asim Munir, drawing ire on social media with critics arguing that the remark underscored the military's expanding influence over civilian politics in the country.
Federal Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik, a close aide to the premier, while addressing a press conference on Saturday, said: "As an ordinary worker of the team led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, I want to assure the public that as petroleum prices decline in the international market, we will reduce them here with the same speed."
The minister's remarks triggered a sharp backlash on social media, where critics questioned how far the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was willing to go to appease the military establishment in what many describe as Pakistan's "hybrid" system of governance.
"When ministers begin introducing themselves as 'humble workers' of powerful men rather than representatives of the people, one has to ask -- is this democracy or the court of loyal servants?" wrote Fatima Malik on X.
Another user, Mohsin Ali Khan, said: "Ali Pervaiz Malik is merely speaking the truth -- a federal minister today is little more than a humble worker of a military general."
"A humble worker of the Field Marshal. The PML-N has sunk to such depths that calling it a political party now feels like an insult to politics itself," Waqar Ahmad posted.
"The ministers now appear completely liberated from even the pretence of political restraint. They have stopped pretending to uphold democracy altogether. Incredible," Journalist Maleeha Hashmi posted on social media.
Senior television anchor Talat Hussain said it was "shameful" for ministers to speak of public "relief" while simultaneously burdening citizens with crushing increases in petroleum prices.
"What is equally shameful," he said, "is the spectacle of ministers sitting before television cameras congratulating one another on their performance while the majority of the public struggles under dire economic conditions."
"The entire ruling setup appears to believe that a wartime victory gives it licence to treat people's hardships with contempt. That is more than shameful," he added.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif already declared that there has been a "hybrid system" in the country.