HYBRID DEMOCRACY, INSTITUTIONAL DOMINANCE AND POLITICAL FRAGMENTATION IN PAKISTAN (2021–2024)

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Pakistan’s hybrid democracy during the period from 2021 to 2024, examining the intricate interplay between institutional dominance, civil–military relations, political fragmentation and economic governance in shaping the country’s democratic trajectory. Anchored in hybrid regime theory, the research reveals that although Pakistan’s democratic institutions including the parliament, judiciary and Election Commission retained their formal structures and procedures, their functional autonomy remained constrained by pervasive military influence, judicial overreach and the practice of selective accountability. The execution of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022, followed by widespread civil unrest and the contentious general elections of 2024, epitomized the persistent struggle between democratic norms and authoritarian practices. The analysis further identifies how political polarization deepened across party lines, while economic governance became increasingly militarized through mechanisms such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), effectively merging economic and security imperatives. Concurrently, restrictions on civil liberties and dissent contributed to growing public disillusionment and weakened the social foundations of democracy. The findings suggest that rather than progressing toward democratic consolidation, Pakistan’s political system continued to embody the characteristics of a hybrid regime where formal democratic frameworks coexist with informal authoritarian controls. The study concludes by emphasizing the urgent necessity of comprehensive electoral reforms, the empowerment of civilian institutions and the reorientation of national security priorities toward a people centered democratic model capable of ensuring political stability and genuine participatory governance.