Democracy in Pakistan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Politics in Pakistan refers to the ideologies and systems by which

nation-state, constitutionally a democratic parliamentary republic.[2] The national cabinet, led by the Prime Minister of Pakistan has executive power and the president is the head of state elected by the electoral college.[3] Pakistan is one of the youngest democracies in the world, established in 2003.[4] Pakistan's political system is based on an elected form of governance.[5] The democratic elections held in 2008 were the first to conclude a 5-year term in the nation's political history. However, since the country's inception, the military has had disproportionate power over state affairs.[6] Several military interventions have disrupted Pakistan's democracy. These interventions include takeovers by General Ayub Khan (1958-1969), General Yahya Khan (1969-1971), General Zia Ul Haq (1978-1988), and General Pervez Musharraf (2001-2008).[6]

History

The

ancient China
, known for its highly developed, sophisticated and urbanized culture and much later also old Greece which had some form of democratic rule.

Historians and social scientists studying the civilization's social structure observe that the Indus Valley had an organised planning system, including standard architecture, civic controls, consistent grid layouts and uniformed sanitary facilities. This well-disciplined lifestyle and a common Rule of Law extending throughout a large area leads some historians to believe and suggest the Indus Valley civilization in Pakistan as possibly the earliest cradle and model of democracy; one which was based on a "popular rule by the people" based on the conceptions of Welfare State and Rule of law (and hence the presence of some form of Democracy) which even predated old Greece.[7]

In the wake of intensifying political instability, the civilian bureaucracy and military assumed governing power in 1958. Since its independence, Pakistan's political system has fluctuated between civilian and military governments at various times throughout its

Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf respectively).[8]
Democracy in Pakistan, however imperfect, has been allowed to function to varying degrees.

The 2024 Pakistani general election while deeply flawed and with claimed electoral irregularities demonstrates a "continuity of an electoral process that has historically been subject to political engineering". [9]

Current status

Until 2013, Pakistan did not experience a democratic transfer of power from one democratically elected government that had completed its tenure to another. All of its previous democratic transitions have been aborted by military coups.

V-Dem Democracy indices.[11]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-7139-9615-9
    .
  2. ^ "Mohammed Ali Jinnah | Biography, Accomplishments, Religion, Significance, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Part I: "Introductory"". pakistani.org. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. ^ "The State of Pakistani Democracy – Berkeley Political Review". Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  5. ISBN 978-0-203-87818-7
    , retrieved 5 October 2023
  6. ^ a b Altaf, Hina (May 2019). "History of Military Interventions in Political Affairs in Pakistan". CUNY Academic Works – via City University of New York (CUNY).
  7. ^ The Indus Valley civilization – cradle of democracy?
  8. ^ Afzal, Azeem. "Democracy in Pakistan". Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  9. ^ Inside Pakistan’s Deeply Flawed Election, Journal of Democracy, Ayesha Jalal, February 2024
  10. ISBN 9780674728936
  11. ^ V-Dem Institute (2023). "The V-Dem Dataset". Retrieved 3 February 2024.

External links

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