Politics, Power, and the Struggle for Democracy in Pakistan.
In many poor or post colonial countries, politics rarely functions as a pure democratic exercise. Instead, it often becomes a battlefield of cartels, vested interests, and revenge based policies. Pakistan is no exception. The repeated cycles of political instability, selective accountability, and weakened public trust point toward a deeper structural problem. One that extends beyond individual politicians or parties.
Countries with strategic geography, large populations, or critical resources often attract the attention of international power brokers , states, corporations, and financial institutions. These “deep pockets” are not always driven by ideology , more often, their agenda revolves around stability on their terms, access to markets, security cooperation, and policy predictability.
Supporting compliant political actors or “puppets,” as many citizens describe them , becomes a convenient strategy. Such figures are easier to influence, less likely to challenge unfair economic arrangements, and more willing to align domestic policy with foreign interests. This dynamic is not unique to Pakistan , it has been observed across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. However, the consequences in Pakistan are particularly damaging due to weak institutions and a history of interrupted democratic processes.
Elections are always questioned, why?
Public skepticism about elections in Pakistan stems from a long record of engineered political outcomes. Allegations of pre poll manipulation, post poll interference, and selective enforcement of laws have eroded confidence in the electoral system. While the Election Commission is constitutionally independent, its effectiveness is often questioned when powerful institutions or elites which has famous term establishment , are perceived to be pulling strings behind the scenes.
When outcomes appear to align consistently with the interests of unelected power centers, citizens naturally ask , Whose instructions matter more , the voter’s or the power broker’s?
Another Factor, Political Imprisonment and Selective Accountability.
The prolonged imprisonment of political leaders, including Imran Khan, has intensified debate about the use of law as a political weapon. While accountability is essential in any democracy, selective accountability is corrosive. When laws are applied unevenly, swiftly against some and leniently toward others , it creates the impression that cases are motivated less by justice and more by political engineering.
This fuels the belief that certain legal actions are influenced, directly or indirectly, by external pressures seeking “manageable” leadership rather than popular leadership.
It would be simplistic to blame everything on foreign powers alone. Pakistan’s internal elites like political, bureaucratic, and economic also benefit from the status quo. External influence often succeeds because internal weaknesses allow it. Fragile institutions, dependence on foreign loans, and lack of economic self-reliance create openings for outside leverage.
In such an environment, sovereignty becomes negotiable, and democracy becomes conditional.
True democracy in Pakistan cannot emerge solely through elections. It requires institutional balance, judicial independence, civilian supremacy, and economic reform. Transparency in political financing, internal democracy within parties, and media freedom are equally critical.
Most importantly, democracy must be rooted in public ownership of the political process. When citizens disengage out of frustration, power naturally shifts to unelected actors.
The “unseen hurdles” in people’s government creation are not invisible by accident. They persist because challenging them demands sustained civic awareness, unity across ethnic and ideological lines, and a long-term commitment to reform rather than short-term political wins.
Civil society, youth movements, independent journalism, and peaceful political resistance play a vital role here. Change rarely comes quickly but it comes when pressure is consistent and collective.
We are loosing!!
Pakistan is not losing its potential but it is losing time. A nation trapped in political revenge cycles and externally influenced governance risks economic stagnation and social fragmentation. Yet history shows that nations recover when citizens reclaim agency.
Democracy is not gifted , it is built, defended, and renewed again and again. No one can change our future, we are the one who can change it.
The opinions, thoughts written in the article are totally my personal point of view and someone have right to disagree to it and I respect all the political mindsets.
Note: The article also published on my read.cash Wall.
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Cheers,
Amjad
