The Failure of Secular Parties in Pakistan
The Pakistan People Party (PPP) and the Pashtun nationalist Awami National Party (ANP) both sustained significant losses in last month’s general elections. These results can be at least partly explained by the former coalition government’s hasty devolution of federal powers to unprepared provincial authorities, as well as their hesitance to fully engage with civil society groups. Both parties should now focus on tranparent, democratic party reforms, and the clarification of a coherent secular policy agenda so as to become politically revelant again through the 2018 elections.