Abstract

Whenever authoritarian regimes control the federal democracies these caused the unrepeatable damage to the existing political system. Pakistan is one of major example of this phenomenon. Ayub Khan led martial law laid the foundation of disintegration of political process and federalism of the state that was completed during the martial law of Yehya Khan. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto led the federation of Pakistan towards the democratic path by giving a constitution with bicameralism for the first time in Pakistan but Zia ul Haq’s Martial Law once again deteriorated the parliamentary democracy and indulged the state into a proxy war against Russia in favor of America. Zia’s Martial Law destroyed the democratic norms of the country that resulted in the weak political system and fragile democracy during the 1990s. Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif both enjoyed two terms of premiership of Pakistan but federalism was never strengthened. Political system remained under the constant threat of

Highlights

  • Political system of a state has to face the consequences of dictator ship in the form of the authoritarian policies and autocratic behavior of the office holders even after the end of the dictators rule

  • Parliamentary democracy in Pakistan has to face Martial Laws for four times and each Martial Law left behind problems for the democracy and federalism in Pakistan .Pakistan fought tow wars against India during the Martial Law of Ayub Khan(1965) and Yehya Khan regimes(1971) Zia ul Haq enforced Martial Law in Pakistan in 1977 and during his period Pakistan was indulged in Afghan war against Russia that caused heavy economic and human loss

  • Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto took the reins of the state and introduced principles of federal parliamentary democracy in Pakistan

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Summary

Introduction

Political system of a state has to face the consequences of dictator ship in the form of the authoritarian policies and autocratic behavior of the office holders even after the end of the dictators rule. Zia wanted to give protection to Martial Law orders and ordinances, for this purpose he asked the new parliament to pass a new constitutional bill, when this was done by the puppet administration of the country, it totally changed the balance of power from Prime Minister to the president. Condition of two third majorities from the Senate enhanced the roll of small provinces in legislation.(Khan, 2009) It created disparity between the president and the prime minister and gave imbalanced federalism in the state as the later institution was considered to be the representative of the public under the parliamentary democracy in the federal legislature and the former enjoyed only a ceremonial status.(Mahmood, 2000)The reflection of 8th amendment badly affected the working capability of Prime Minister of Pakistan. The powers of the president and the provincial governors relating to administrative, financial and political affairs was taken from them and were granted to prime minster and the chief ministers of the provinces..(Talbot, 1998)

Federalism and Political Confrontation
Coalition Governments in Parliamentary Politics
Fiscal Distribution under the Political Governments
Resolving the Issue of Water Distribution
Parliamentary Democracy and the Action against Judiciary
Findings
Conclusion
Full Text
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