Rising Military Dictatorship In Pakistan

Whichever may be the country, fervent opposition to the radicalism always takes place by the conservatives. In Pakistan, the draft of the Election Reforms Bill-2017 was presented in Parliament. This draft made the government and the people disrupt since last 22 days. Once again the anarchy in Pakistan highlighted that the wisdom always fails against ochlocracy.

According to a certain law in Pakistan, all Muslim candidates contesting for elections have to submit affidavit. They have to write in the affidavit that Prophet Muhammad was the last Prophet of Islam, after which no other person became Prophet. 


In the aforementioned proposed bill, this condition was removed. But some took this provision as anti-Islam & started opposing it. Religious fundamentalists funded parties like Tehreek E Labaik, Sunni Tehreek, Tehreek-e-Khatme Nabuwwat disrupted whole country. However, The government agreed that mistake has been made. It also withdrew the provision. But, the hardline fanatics were not satisfied. This incidence highlighted Pakistan's political instability. The evil consequences of driving the Nation on the basis of religion are consistently seen, because religion & logic seldom go hand in hand.


Six civilians were killed in violence caused by this incidence. 95 soldiers including 200 civilians were injured. Although it seems that the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid has mitigated the protest, more worrisome is how such a situation was happened in first place.

Although the Minister of Law bowed down to the pressure, Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, the judge of the High Court reprimanded Home Minister along with the army. This is some silver lining. Some such questions have arisen on this occasion. When instructions were given to desolve the agitation, why did the Home Minister gave army the role of mediator? Why the government had to bend the knee against the protestors?  What right the army had that it decided to intercede? Home Minister Ahsan Iqbal had no answers.

 It is expected from the army to be in the limits of the constitutional duties. But how can the army remain passive about the people who are taking law in their hands? It can be said that the unofficial alliance between the Pakistani military and local fundamentalists is no more hidden. Not only this, but the command of the army on the government is too, clearly highlighted.

This is also an indication that interference and impact of the military on Pakistani politics is going to escalate in near future . As a neighboring nation, India has to take notice this subject matter.

It is notable that in 2011, the former governor of Punjab,Salman Taseer tried to revise this very law, but was murdered by his own bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri.