THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATIZATION AND ROLE OF OPPOSITION PARTIES IN PAKISTAN (2018-2022)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14551217

الملخص

The main focus of this research is to examine the various events occurred during these four years i.e. from 2018-2022, and what kind of role has been played by the political opposition parties as independent variables. Whether their acts impacted the weak democracy in the right direction or not?  The credence of people in the state can only be materialized by the practice and exercise of free, fair, and transparent elections. Democracy through elections ensures people a responsible elected government with defined political, social, economic, and constitutional limitations. Moreover, elections manifest human behavior and proceed to understanding and identifying the essential factors and considerations that frame the people's political temperament and voting priorities and preferences. More importantly, the exercise of elections results in overwhelming nationwide awareness and mobilization of people in the form of competing political parties. Pakistan experienced another general election in July, 2018. But unfortunately, it did not cause positive impacts on the health of democracy. Almost majority of the political parties declared the elections as rigged and engineered. The opposition parties came on the road to demonstrate their demands. The running of government machinery for the inexperienced Khan was very difficult although the establishment was on his side. But corona crisis, high inflation, the Kashmir Issue, unity of opposition parties in the shape of PDM changed the political scenario very soon, which, finally culminated in the removal of the PTI government in April, 2022. The 2022 proved to be the year of political and constitutional crisis in Pakistan.