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A "restoration" of democracy?
Read Pakistan's circular history for more information.
The story of Pakistan is one of remorseless tug and pull between the civilian and military rulers on the one hand, and the liberal and religious forces on the other.
In the process, the country has failed to become either a democracy, a theocracy or a permanent military dictatorship...
...The country was born in 1947 with a clean slate and a potential to follow in one of two directions.
It could opt for democracy. It had inherited democratic institutions and experience from the colonial rule, and was itself the creation of a democratic process involving national elections, parliamentary resolutions and a referendum.
Or it could become an Islamic emirate. The Pakistan movement was based on the theory that the Muslims of India were a nation and had a right to separate statehood.
They were granted separate electorate by the British rulers, and used Islamic identity as their main election slogan in 1937 and 1946.
But instead of making a clear choice, the early leaders tried to mix the two, and inadvertently sparked a series of political, legal and religious debacles that define today's Pakistan.
In political terms, democracy has been the first casualty of this hybrid system.
The CIA Factbook considers Pakistan a "Federal republic". However, the military remains most important political force, leading Wikipedia to consider it a "military dictatorship".
Also, FreedomHouse.Org does not consider Pakistan to be a "free" nation.
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