ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by Mohammad WaseemSubscribe to Mohammad Waseem

Clash of Institutions in Pakistan

The removal of the prime minister of Pakistan by its Supreme Court is the latest round of a long struggle between the elected and unelected parts of the Pakistan state. This time, however, it is not the military but rather the judiciary which is directly confronting the democratically elected government, with the support of the media and other political parties. This has changed the terrain of the confl ict which cannot be defi ned in traditional terms anymore.

Causes of Democratic Downslide

The dominance of the Punjabi and mohajir communities and the perceived bellicosity of India have played a deterministic role in the shaping of Pakistan. The elevation of national security as a topmost state concern and the growing centralisation of powers by a federal government has however led to a growing subordination of parliamentary procedures and the alienation of the smaller provinces. The latest constitutional reforms and a new government only heighten the inherent conflicts that democracy in Pakistan faces.

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