Democracy Amid Autocracy in Pakistan

Abstract

Jinnah envisioned Pakistan as a democratic state. Nevertheless, after his departure, the history of Pakistan unfolded some extremely bitter realities in the form of transgressions on the part of policy and decision-makers, both individually and institutionally, that ultimately resulted in the loss of confidence and resources by the nation. The policy and decision-makers in Pakistan particularly among the politicians, military, judiciary, and bureaucracy all were unable to address their respective domains in the larger interest of the nation. Instead of learning from our past we still do not seem to be prepared to accept our follies and to arrange for their avoidance in the future. Challenges faced by the newly independent Pakistan, instead of being addressed appropriately were further worsened by poor performance of individuals as well as institutions. Consequently, urgent issues like constitution-making and providing guidelines based on the culture and society of Pakistan remained unattended. The history of Pakistan's internal developments stands witness to all these failures. The conditions that we are facing now make it incumbent upon the intelligentsia to rationally prepare a work plan for different sections of policy and decision-making bodies for strict adherence to their part of responsibility. There can’t be any better time than the present to put forth these questions and explore prospects and prerequisites for a better and more secure journey for Pakistan in the future. This study provides a comprehensive structure for exploring the dynamics of democracy and autocracy in Pakistan, highlighting key themes, historical developments, and avenues for reform.