Populism and the Cyclical Struggle for Democracy in Pakistan

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of populism in Pakistan, arguing that it remains entangled in a cyclical struggle between democratic development and internal political disruptions. It contends that populism, particularly its right-wing variant has exploited religious and ethnic divisions to construct exclusionary narratives that position common masses in opposition to a perceived elite. Through a historical and discursive analysis of political leadership and movements, the study aims to answer that how populist rhetoric used in form of slogans are employed as a strategic tool for mass mobilization and ideological framing. The study categorizes populism in the Pakistani context into right wing, religious, and regressive variants, while situating these within the broader framework of political populism. The crux of the argument is that although populism has occasionally created space for democratic expression, it has more often undermined institutional integrity and weakened democratic norms, thereby contributing to the continued fragility of democratic governance in Pakistan.