THE FUTURES OF DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN - A LIBERAL PERSPECTIVE

Due to the domination of state institutions over political institution s, Pakistan has not experienced a steady consolidation of democracy ov er its fifty year history. This is manifest in the lack of roots of co nstitutionalism, the absence of fully autonomous judiciary, a well dev eloped party system and regularly held fair elections. Recent politica l developments such as the gradual withdrawal of state institutions pa rticularly the military from the political arena, greater assertivenes s of the judiciary, parliaments' curtailment of president powers and r ising political consciousness among the people have brightened the cha nces of survival of democracy in the country. Its further consolidatio n will depend on the capacity of elected leaders to address the seriou s problems of ethnic and religious dissensions, financial vulnerabilit y, heavy indebtedness, skyrocketing inflation and serious economic dis parities. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.