Civil-military relations in Pakistan during the second half of 20th century and the so-called 'Decade of Democracy:' A critical study

Abstract

This paper critically examines civil-military relations in Pakistan from the second half of the 20th century, focusing on the so-called "Decade of Democracy" (1988-1999). It traces the military-bureaucratic dominance inherited from colonial structures, marked by weak political parties and repeated interventions through figures like Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, and Zia-ul-Haq. Zia's Eighth Amendment (Article 58(2)(b)) institutionalized presidential powers to dismiss governments, enabling hybrid authoritarianism where civilians held office without real authority. It also highlights some of the most important factors leading to military's dominance. The analysis frames the 1988-1999 period post-Zia's death as a flawed democratic experiment rather than genuine consolidation. Benazir Bhutto's PPP and Nawaz Sharif's PML-N governments faced elite polarization, patronage politics, and military vetoes over defense, foreign policy, nuclear decisions, and the 1999 Kargil conflict, culminating in Musharraf's coup. The paper summarizes that Pakistan's civil-military dynamics reflect institutional legacies favoring praetorianism over democratic dispensation.

Keywords: Civil-military relations, praetorianism, colonial legacy, 'Decade of Democracy,' political polarization