Pakistan's 2018 general elections marked the second successful transfer of power from one elected civilian government to another-a remarkable achievement considering the country's history of dictatorial rule. Pakistan's Political Parties examines how the civilian side of the state's current regime has survived the transition to democracy, providing critical insight into the evolution of political parties in Pakistan and their role in developing democracies in general. Pakistan's numerous political parties span the ideological spectrum, as well as represent diverse regional, ethnic, and religious constituencies. The essays in this volume explore the way in which these parties both contend and work with Pakistan's military-bureaucratic establishment to assert and expand their power. Researchers use interviews, surveys, data, and ethnography to illuminate the internal dynamics and motivations of these groups and the mechanisms through which they create policy and influence state and society. Pakistan's Political Parties is a one-of-a-kind resource for diplomats, policymakers, journalists, and scholars searching for a comprehensive overview of Pakistan's party system and its unlikely survival against an interventionist military, with insights that extend far beyond the region.
Introduction: Pakistan's Political Parties in an Era of TransitionsNiloufer Siddiqui, Mariam Mufti, and Sahar Shafqat Part I: The Form of Pakistan's Party System1. The Formation, Development, and Decay of the Pakistan Muslim League-NawazSaeed Shafqat 2. Pakistan People's Party: From Populism to PatronagePhilip E. Jones 3. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: From a Movement to a Catch-All PartyTabinda M. Khan 4. What Remains of the Muttahida Qaumi MovementTahir Naqvi 5. Leftist Parties in Pakistan: Challenges and LimitationsAnushay Malik 6. Religious Parties: The Politics of Denominational Diversity in an Islamic RepublicJohann Chacko Part II: The Functions Served by Pakistan's Party System7. Who Do Politicians Talk To? Political Contact in Urban PunjabAsad Liaqat, Ali Cheema, and Shandana Khan Mohmand 8. Candidate-Party Linkages in Pakistan: Why Do Candidates Stick with Losing Parties?Hassan Javid and Mariam Mufti 9. Women in Electoral Politics: An Account of ExclusionSarah Khan 10. Governance amid Crisis: Delegation, Personal Gain, and Service Delivery in PakistanSameen A. Mohsin Ali 11. Opposition Parties and Regime Uncertainty in PakistanSahar Shafqat Part III: The Survival of Pakistan's Party System12. The Kingmaker: Pakistan's Military and Political PartiesAyesha Siddiqa 13. Judicial Politics in a Hybrid Democracy: Pakistan's Judiciary and Political PartiesYasser Kureshi 14. Parties and Foreign Policy in PakistanChristopher Clary Conclusion: Political Parties in an "Establishmentarian Democracy"Mohammad Waseem Appendix: Pakistan Electoral Results, 1988-2018 ReferencesAbout the Contributors
