ISAS Insights

Pakistan emerged out of a decade of military rule under President Pervez Musharraf on 18 February 2008 when the general elections were held. During the last period of President Musharraf's reign, Pakistan was reeling under economic malaise and a serious political crisis. The civil society inspired a broad-based people's movement, led by the lawyers that eventually resulted in the end of military dictatorship and the dawn of a new era of democratic governance. Now, it has been one year since Pakistan re-entered the democratic world and the question is whether Pakistan is in a better state now than it was prior to 18 February 2008. This paper reviews the state of Pakistan a year after the installation of the democratically-elected government.