Asian Research Thesis Index

Abstract

Leadership has become the most central phenomenon and part of every level of organization in the world. It also becomes one of the important features of Pakistan’s polity. Pakistan is facing the challenges of leadership since its creation. The main part of this research is to analyze the role played by the political leadership in the process of democratization in Pakistan. Either it becomes cause of bringing, shaping, stabilizing, smoothing and deepening democratic norms in the country or harms it. The research involves the pattern and themes of establishing leadership role and character in the process of democracy in Pakistan during the period of 1971-2008 after the disintegration of Eastern wing of Pakistan. Leadership role determined the very fate of East Pakistan in one way or the other. It also dealt the conditions and elements which are necessary for the sustainability of democracy in Pakistan. Most present research is revolving around leadership, its background, agenda, character, ethics, environment and most importantly political culture for the establishment of democratic setup in Pakistan. Leadership is shaped by followers and environment and they both determine leader’s role in a given polity. And these two elements are the product of political culture of any kind i-e what people think and what kind of environment has been created by their interaction with each other and with their leaders. One has to find out missing links in various approaches and theories of leadership and democratization process to explain that how and in what way political leadership might affect the process of democratization. The critical examination in this research is the leadership character and performance in mounting, growing or diminishing the process of democratization of the country. Recent studies have shown that states are confronting with the challenges of the process of democratization with the role played by one of the very important components of social and political structure i.e. political leadership. It is interesting to note that leadership in Pakistan emerged out of dynastic basis, wealth and landed aristocracy. In Pakistan, leadership has various dimensions to perform, some became popular and some worked in autocratic manners. Bhutto was known as populist leader in political history of Pakistan after its dismemberment. While Zia and Nawaz Sharif performed in dictatorial style. Benazir was backed by her father’s popular following and did nothing effective for the real democracy for the country. Musharraf took the advantage of the situation and manipulate it to make noise for democracy. These leaders most of the time gave such policy packages for the establishment of effective democracy but failed. The basic question remains in the minds of the people that how and in what way political leaders work for the democratization of the country, a country which is already fragmented and diversified in terms of ethnic identities. In this research work, I test and analyze two folded set of knowledge; 1st is the qualities of leadership in Pakistan and 2nd is various themes related to ensure democratization process. For these tests, to develop relation between these themes and variables to leadership role and functioning has been done. In summing up, this research work demonstrates that political leaders have a huge control over the setting up the course of democratization in the country. It is further indicates that they may not be able to inculcate viable political culture among people so that they can realize their share in power to decide in better way. It also appears that they created impediments in the way of democratization of the country.

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