Protest Politics in Pakistan: Causes, Consequences, and Implications (A Case Study of PTI sit-ins)

This study investigates the impacts of political protests on the functioning and stability of parliamentary democracy in Pakistan. Pakistan experienced an unprecedented surge in street-level political mobilizations and sit-ins, most prominently led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other political groups. These protests, often staged in the federal capital, Islamabad, emerged as a new form of political resistance aimed at voicing dissent, demanding electoral reforms, and challenging the legitimacy of ruling governments. The decade under review highlights a growing trend of extra-parliamentary tactics being used to influence democratic processes, which has brought into question the sustainability and resilience of Pakistan’s parliamentary democracy. Out of all the conceivable ways to bring about peace in Pakistan, agitation—led by political leaders, political parties, coalitions of those parties joining civil society, and sometimes even the establishment itself—has clearly shown to be the most successful tactic. As seen by the anti-Ahmadiyyah movement in 1953, Pakistan Democratic Movement 1968, Pakistan National Alliance 1977, Movement for Restoration of Democracy 1981, Islami Jamhoori Ittehad 1988, and other movements, anger has always been a useful instrument in Pakistani politics. But in the twenty-first century, the nation's independence of electronic media has made agitation much more common. Dharna (sit-ins) politics are becoming more common in Pakistan. Many political parties utilize dharna (sit-ins) tactics to press the government to meet their demands. This tactic is used by political parties to hold sit-ins, block roads, use violence, protest, and impede social, political, economic, and educational activities in major cities.