Role of Military in Politics and Federal Dilemma in Pakistan: 1999-2008

Abstract

The challenges of federalism in Pakistan are multidimensional in nature and largely associated with various dynamics of politics. Lack of democratic practices, political instability, low political culture and type of government exercising its control at the federal level are those factors which considerably affect the federal politics in Pakistan. The repeated dissolutions of the National Assembly and the consequent fall of provincial assemblies during the decade of the1990s also stressed the federal notion in Pakistan. The problems of federalism in Pakistan were further augmented by the arrival of a military administration in power on October 12, 1999.Even though, a constitutional government was established as a result of the general election of 2002but it did not diminish the centralization and authoritarian trends as the center of political power was still a military man. This paper expounds that under Musharraf regime, prime intent of devising policies was to secure legitimacy of his rule and federal issues were not dealt with federal and political means. This research expounds that type of regime is relevant to federal practices in Pakistan and military led regimes in Pakistan are less responsive to federal challenges and ethnic demands as under their conception of unity in command, federal consensus and bargain are less pertinent. This led to decline the role of elected legislatures and federal institutions as the federal notion of the state was largely hampered. This study aims to address the issue that how military intervention into politics augmented the federal problems in Pakistan and to what extent type of regime is relevant to federal practices in Pakistan?