The End of Democracy or a New Resurgence in Pakistan?

Pakistan’s general elections are scheduled to be held in July 2018. Contrary to the popular argument that the Pakistani military has revived complete dominance and hegemony over civilian and electoral politics, fewer people are now buying into the opinion in Pakistan that the military is somehow “better” than democracy. Unlike 1958, 1977, or 1999, when an outright military coup was welcomed and embraced, the options for the military are fewer and limited in 2018.

With the term of the most recent democratically elected government having come to an end a few days ago, we have also come to the end of the cycle, since 1977, where a decade of civilian government in Pakistan has been followed by a decade of military dictatorship. There are many who feel that democratic, electoral and civilian Pakistan, as it enters its 11th electoral cycle in a few weeks, has ceded power and control to a resurgent military in close alliance with the superior judiciary. The argument doing the rounds is that the democratic decade is over, and a “soft” military coup has already taken place.

Murderers of Democratisation