Khadim Hussain[1]
Aug 2025.
Click the link below to read the full article.
Download PDF
Abstract
Although different variants of populism may be identified during the political development of various regions of the world since the early decades of the 20th century, the emerging patterns of populism since the early decades of 21st century have instigated political scientists, economists and cultural analysts to investigate the curious nature, amorphous structure and upending functions of global populism as a distinct analytical category in democratic politics. The recent wave of populism–as a ‘thin centred’ ideology with a peculiar discursive style and a particular political strategy—in various countries located in diverse regions of the world appears to have shared overlapping characteristics. While it is significant to explore the overlapping features of global and regional populism, it seems essential to carry out critical inquiries into country-specific and region-specific triggers, structure, functions and causes of populism. Mapping out the core characteristics of the global populist movements, this explorative study has attempted to find out that populism in Pakistan (and also in India and Afghanistan) may not be observed as an ideological movement but seems to be underpinned by a peculiar style of discourse and a particular strategy for political mobilisation. The paper, identifying several gaps in the academic studies carried out on populism in Pakistan (and in India and Afghanistan), delves a bit deeper to explore whether populism in the region has a close correspondence with religious radicalism, ultra-state-nationalism, centralisation of governance and absolute majoritarianism, and whether this variant of populism may rightly invoke the term ‘Rightist Authoritarian Populism’. The core of this study pertains to the correlation between the perceived Rightist Authoritarian Populism and the systemic status quo in Pakistan. The paper has explored that the Rightist Authoritarian Populism is arguably characterised by religious radicalism, ultra-state-nationalism, centralisation of power and resources, ‘hybridisation’ of political arrangement, and unrepresentative governance. The case study of the political party, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), believed to be an overarching umbrella for populist currents in Pakistan, has been revisited to explore whether populism in Pakistan has been instrumentalised for constructing a particular political arrangement that has strengthened the status quo instead of challenging it, besides being in consonance with the rising trend of global and regional populism in several respects.
[1] The author is Director Research at the CRPD and can be accessed via khadimhussainpajwak@gmail.com
References
Abbas, Hassan. (2004). Pakistan’s Drift into Extremism: Allah, then Army, and America’s War on Terror. M. E. Sharpe. New York. United States.
Abbasi, Kasim. (2025). ‘Gallup survey: KP residents unhappy with governance, development’. The News International. July 14. Available: https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/1328270-gallup-survey-kp-residents-unhappy-with-governance-development. Accessed: 14 July 2025.
Abbas, Syed Sammer. (2016). ‘Justice (r) Wajihuddin resigns from PTI’. Dawn. September 25. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1286009. Accessed: 10 July 2025.
Adeney, Katharine. (2015). ‘How to understand Pakistan’s hybrid regime: the importance of a multidimensional continuum.’ Democratization. Vol. 24 (1). Pp. 119-137. Available: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/33574712.pdf. Accessed: 25 July 2025.
Adeney, Katharine and Wyatt, Andrew. (2004). ‘Democracy in South Asia: Getting beyond the Structure-Agency Dichotomy’. Political Studies. Issue. 1. No. 52. Pp. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2004.00461.x
Adler, Paul S.; Adly, Amr; Armanios, Daniel Erian and Battilana, Julie et al (2023). ‘Authoritarianism, Populism, and the Global Retreat of Democracy: A Curated Discussion’. Journal of Management Inquiry. Vol. 32(1). Pp. 3–20.
Afzal, Madiha. (2018). Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Society, and the State. Brookings Institution Press. Washington, DC.
Ahmed, Amin. (2008). ‘Army claims success in Swat operation: Militancy almost wiped out’. Dawn. January 17. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/285244/army-claims-success-inswat-operation-militancy-almost-wiped-out. Accessed: 04 Aug 2025.
Ahmed, Ishtiaq. (2012). Pakistan The Garrison State: Origins, Evolution, Consequences 1947-2011. Oxford University Press.
Ahmed, Issam. (2010). ‘Pakistan counterinsurgency, hailed by US, makes progress in Swat Valley’. The Christian Science Monitor. March 25. Available: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0325/Pakistan-counterinsurgency-hailed-by-US-makes-progress-in-Swat-Valley. Accessed: 04 Aug 2025.
Ahmed, Roohan. (2022). ‘Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan: An emerging right-wing threat to Pakistan’s democracy’. Atlantic Council. January 15. Available: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/southasiasource/tehreek-e-labbaik-pakistan-an-emerging-right-wing-threat/. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
Alavi, Hamza. (1974). ‘The State in Post-Colonial Societies: Pakistan and Bangladesh’. New Left Review. 1/74. July/Aug. Available at: https://newleftreview.org/issues/i74/articles/hamza-alavi-the-state-in-post-colonial-societies-pakistan-and-bangladesh.pdf . Accessed: 07 Jul. 25.
Ali, Manzoor. (2020). ‘Peshawar bus project cost goes up to Rs70.7 billion’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1535774. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Ali, Tariq. (2002). The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity. Verso Books. London.
Ali, Zulfiqar. (2018). ‘KP Ehtisab Commission dissolved, cases transferred to ACE’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1454226. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Aljazeera. (2022). ‘Imran Khan says Pakistan PM Sharif involved in plot to kill him’. Nov 04. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/4/imran-khan-says-pakistan-pm-sharif-involved-in-plot-to-kill-him. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Amnesty International. (2024). Pakistan 2024. Available: https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-asia/pakistan/report-pakistan/. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Arab News. (2024). ‘Government seeks swift justice in May 9 rioting cases as US lawmakers urge Imran Khan’s release’. November 16. Available: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2579576/pakistan. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
ARY News, Web Desk. (2025). ‘229 industrial units shut down in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’. 21 January. Available at https://arynews.tv/khyber-pakhtunkhwa-reports-closure-of-229-industrial-units/ . Accessed. 02 July 2025.
Aslam, Saad. (2023). ‘Right-Wing Populism in India: Effects on India Pakistan Relations’. Political Horizons. Vol. 1, No. 2.
Azam, Maryam and Falki, Sadia Mahmod. (2021). ‘A Comparative Analysis of Populist Regimes in Pakistan and Turkey’. Journal of Politics and International Studies. Vol. 7, No. 1. Pp.181–195.
Aziz, K.K. (2004). The Murder of History in Pakistan: A Critique of History Books Used in Pakistan. Vanguard Books. Lahore.
Babar, Farhatullah. (2021). ‘TLP’s Second Uprising: Mistakes and Missed Opportunities’. The Friday Times. April 23. Available: https://thefridaytimes.com/23-Apr-2021/tlp-s-second-uprising-mistakes-and-missed-opportunities. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
Baghwan, Jamshed. (2021). ‘Govt releases over 100 TTP prisoners as ‘goodwill gesture’. The Express Tribune. November 22. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330584/govt-releases-over-100-ttp-prisoners-as-goodwill-gesture. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Baloch, Shah Meer. (2022). ‘Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan barred from elections for five years’. The Guardian. Oct 21. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/21/ex-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-barred-elections-five-years. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
———————. (2022). ‘Imran Khan wounded in ‘assassination attempt’ in Pakistan’. The Guardian. Nov 03. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/03/imran-khan-shot-in-assassination-attempt-in-pakistan. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Batool, Fizza. (2023). ‘Populism in Pakistan: The Exclusionary-Inclusionary Divide in the Politics of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Imran Khan’. Journal of South Asian Studies. 46(2). Pp. 265–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00856401.2023.2181535
Batool, Fizza; Yilmaz, Ihsan & Shakil, Kainat. (2023). ‘Contest between leaders of the Ummah: Comparing civilizational populisms of PTI and TLP in Pakistan’. Populism & Politics (P&P). European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS). February 15. https://doi.org/10.55271/pp0020
Bellamy, John. (2025). ‘What Is the Trump Doctrine? John Bellamy Foster on U.S. Foreign Policy & the “New MAGA Imperialism”. Democracy Now. July 08. Available: https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/8/trump_doctrine_maga_imperialism?utm_source=Democracy+Now%21&utm_campaign=06e3ff549f-Daily_Digest_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fa2346a853-06e3ff549f-1344071999 . Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Bhatti, Haseeb. (2018). ‘Nawaz Sharif removed as PML-N head after SC rules disqualified person cannot lead a party’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1390816. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
—————–. (2023). ‘NA passes bill to curtail CJP’s Suo motu powers.’ Dawn. March 29. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1744815. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Boon, John. (2014). ‘Protesters march on Pakistan parliament ‘red zone’. The Guardian. August 19. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/19/protesters-march-pakistan-parliament-imran-khan. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
————–. (2014). ‘Pakistan’s army instructs prime minister Sharif to act without violence’. The Gurdian. August 31. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/31/pakistan-army-government-violence-sharif-imran-khan. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
Business Recorder. (2023). ‘SC adjourns hearing of petitions challenging Practice & Procedure Act 2023 till tomorrow’. October 09. Available: https://www.brecorder.com/news/40267139/supreme-court-resumes-practice-and-procedure-act-2023-hearing#:%7E:text=The%20previous%20Pakistan%20Democratic%20Movement,the%20parliament%20earlier%20this%20year. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Butt, Qaiser. (2013). ‘It seems Hakimullah is heading ECP: Asfandiyar’. The Express Tribune. 05 May 2013. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/545020/it-seems-hakimullah-is-heading-ecp-asfandyar. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
Butt, Ahtasham Jan; Munawar, Shahzad and Masood, Jawaria. (2023). ‘Populism and Pakistani Politics in the Post-Musharaf Era 2008-2023’. Journal of Policy Research. 9(1). Pp. 598-605. https://doi.org/10.61506/02.00014
Chhibber, Pradeep and Naseemullah, Adnan. (2019). ‘. This is how Modi is different from other Right-wing populists like Trump, Erdogan & Duterte’. The Print. August 21. Printline Media Pvt. Ltd. Available at: https://theprint.in/opinion/this-is-how-modi-is-different-from-other-right-wing-populists-like-trump-erdogan-duterte/279836/ .
CSJ. (2025). Human Rights Observer 2025. Available: https://csjpak.org/human-rights-observer-newsletter/Human-Rights-Observer-2025.pdf. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Curtis, John. (2024). Politics in Pakistan 2022-24 and upcoming elections. February 13. House of Commons Library. Available: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9883/CBP-9883.pdf. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Dawn. (2014). ‘Islamabad stand-off: Army not backing PTI or PAT, says ISPR’. August 31. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1129011. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
—————–. (2014). ‘PTI, PAT protesters storm PTV headquarters.’ September 1. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1129203. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
—————-. (2017). ‘Hashmi says Imran conspired with ‘disgruntled elements in the army’ during 2014 sit-in’. January 1. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1305784 . Accessed: 10 July 2025.
—————. (2017). ‘PTI workers wanted to join the Faizabad sit-in, says Imran Khan’. November 29. https://www.dawn.com/news/1373626. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
—————. (2019). ‘10 major takeaways from SC’s Faizabad sit-in judgement’. February 06. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1462177. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
——————-. (2019). ‘Faizabad sit-in: SC directs govt, LEAs, and intelligence agencies to operate within mandate’. February 06. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1462170 . Accessed: 09 July 2017.
—————–. (2011). ‘Imran Khan addresses thousands gathered at Minar-e-Pakistan’. October 30. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/670096/thousands-gather-at-the-minar-e-pakistan-ground-for-pti-rally. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
————————–. (2025). ‘Incentives package sought for sick industrial units.’ 29 March. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1900941 . Accessed: 02 Jul. 25.
————————. (2013). ‘PTI chief urges govt to allow opening of Pakistani Taliban office’. September 25. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1045342. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
———————–. (2016). ‘Imran defends KP govt’s Rs300m grant for Darul Uloom Haqqania’. June 22. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1266524. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
——————–. (2022). ‘Pakistan’s standing on freedom index plummets.’ Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1688205. Accessed: 20 July 2025.
Dornbusch, Rudiger and Edwards, Sebastian. (1991). Macroeconomic Populism in Latin America. National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dunya News. (2024). ‘Elections: 2024—Punjab Government Composition vs Opposition’. Available: https://elections.dunyanews.tv/election2024/election_result.php?assembly=punjab. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Dunya News. (20240. ‘Elections: 2024—KP Government Composition vs Opposition’. Available: https://elections.dunyanews.tv/election2024/election_result.php?assembly=kp. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Durrani, Sher Ahmad & Barakzai, Sumaya. (2024). ‘The Rise of Populism in Pakistan: Implications for Democracy’. Journal of Law and Social Sciences. 2(2). Pp. 88-96.
ECP. (2018). ‘Party Position in the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’. Available: https://ecp.gov.pk/storage/files/1/pp9.jpg. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Ellis-Petersen, Hannah and Baloch, Shah Meer. (2022). ‘Pakistan parliament ousts Imran Khan in last-minute vote’. Guardian. April 09. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/09/pakistan-on-brink-of-crisis-as-imran-khan-blocks-no-confidence-vote. Accessed: 20 July 2022.
FAFEN. (2013). Campaign of Violence. Report by Free and Fair Elections Network. Pakistan. Available at: https://electionpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FAFEN-General-Election-2013-Electoral-Violence-in-Pakistan-Campaigns-of-Violence-Report.pdf
——–. (2018). General Election Observation 2018. FAFEN. Islamabad. Available: https://fafen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FAFEN-General-Election-Observation-2018-Key-Findings-and-Analysis-Pakistan.pdf. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
———. (2024). 2024 National and Provincial Elections: Votes Polled and Party Shares in Votes and Seats. Available: https://fafen.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/FAFEN-Brief-Party-Votes-and-Seats-Share-GE2024.pdf. Accessed: 21 July 2024.
Flamenbaum, Stephanie. (2012). ‘The PTI and Pakistan’s Changing Political Landscape’. Peace Brief. May 24. United Institute for Peace. Available: https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/resources/PB-127.pdf. Accessed: 09 Jul. 25.
Foster, John Bellamy. (2025). ‘New MAGA Imperialism’. Democracy Now. July 08. Available at: https://www.democracynow.org/2025/7/8/trump_doctrine_maga_imperialism?utm_source=Democracy+Now%21&utm_campaign=06e3ff549f-Daily_Digest_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fa2346a853-06e3ff549f-1344071999 . Accessed: 08 July 2025.
Fraser, Simon and Davies, Caroline. (2024). ‘Imran Khan: Pakistan former PM jailed for 10 years in state secrets case’. BBC. January 30. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68138591. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Gallup Pakistan. (2013). ‘Pakistan National Elections 2013’. Index of Electoral Record, 1970-2013. Vol 10. Available: https://gallup.com.pk/bb_old_site/election/10GIER2013.pdf. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
——————-. (2025). Detailed Assessment of Public Satisfaction with Governance and Politics in KP-Survey Report. Available: https://gallup.com.pk/post/38749. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Galston, William A. (2018). ‘The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy’. Journal of Democracy. Volume 29. Issue, 2. Pp: 5-19. Brookings Institute. USA.
Gandhi, Rajmohan. (2025). ‘Fear, Uncertainty, and Suspense’. We are One Humanity. May 7. Available at: https://www.weareonehumanity.org/rajmohan-gandhi/fear-uncertainty-and-suspense?ss_source=sscampaigns&ss_campaign_id=681e3c54ff54e234be2036dd&ss_email_id=681e6a85e7013214fc995d5c&ss_campaign_name=Weekly+Digest%3A+On+Fear%2C+Uncertainty%2C+and+Suspense&ss_campaign_sent_date=2025-05-09T20%3A50%3A38Z
Gidron, Noam., & Bonikowski, Bart. (2013). ‘Varieties of Populism: Literature Review and Research Agenda’. Weatherland Working Paper Series. Harvard University. Cambridge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2459387
Greven, Thomas. (2017). Right-Wing Populism and Authoritarian Nationalism in the U.S. and Europe. Friedrick Ebert Stiftung. Germany.
Haider, Irfan. (2014). ‘Protection of Pakistan Bill 2014 approved in NA’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1116529. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Halikiopoulou, Daphne and Vlandas, Tim. (2022). Right Wing Populism and What to do about it. Fredrick Ebert Stiftung. Germany.
Haqqani, Hussain. (2005). Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. USA.
Harari, Yuval. (2020). ‘Read Yuval Harari’s blistering warning to Davos in full’. World Economic Forum. Available: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2020/01/yuval-hararis-warning-davos-speech-future-predications/. Accessed. 03 Aug 2025.
Haroon, Hameed. (2018). ‘A dirty war on freedom of the press in Pakistan’. The Washington Post. July 11. Available: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/07/11/a-dirty-war-on-freedom-of-the-press-in-pakistan/. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
Hashim, Asad. (2020). ‘Pakistan confirms escape of ex-Pakistan Taliban spokesman’. Aljazeera. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/2/18/pakistan-confirms-escape-of-ex-pakistan-taliban-spokesman. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
HRCP. (2025). Harsh Sentences: The state of freedom of expression in 2022-2024. Available: https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/2025-Harsh-sentences.pdf. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
——-. (2025). ‘National roundtable demands protection of media and digital freedoms.’ July 17. Available: https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/national-roundtable-demands-protection-of-media-and-digital-freedoms/. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Human Rights Watch. (2013). Ensure Election Security from Taliban Attacks. April 29. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/29/pakistan-ensure-election-security-taliban-attacks
Hussain, Abid. (2023). ‘Another Khan party-led provincial assembly dissolved in Pakistan’. Aljazeera. Jan 18. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/18/another-khan-party-led-provincial-assembly-dissolved-in-pakistan. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
—————–. (2023). ‘Pakistan’s president slammed for declaring poll date in provinces. Aljazeera. Feb 21. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/21/pakistans-president-slammed-for-declaring-poll-date-in-provinces. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
——————. (2025). ‘Trump embraces Pakistan: ‘Tactical romance’ or a new ‘inner circle’?’. Aljazeera. June 19. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/19/trumps-pakistan-embrace-tactical-romance-or-a-new-inner-circle. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Hussain, Ejaz. (2012). ‘Pakistan: Civil-Military Relations in a Post-Colonial State’. PCD Journal. Vol. IV No. 1.
—————–. (2024). ‘The PTI Challenge: Negotiations are the Way Forward’. Research Gate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386170495. Accessed: 08 July 2025.
Hussain, Khadim. (2013). ‘A Blood-Soaked Discourse’. Dawn. May 10. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1010654/a-blood-soaked-discourse.
———————–. (2011). ‘Modes and Scale of Conflict in Pakistan’s Swat Valley (1989-2008)’. Conflict and Peace Studies. Volume 4. Number 2. Available: https://www.pakpips.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/121.pdf. Accessed: 03 Aug 2025.
Hussain, Syed Talat. (2014). ‘All the General’s Men?’. Newsline. September 2014 Issue. Available: https://newslinemagazine.com/magazine/cover-story-all-the-generals-men/. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
ICJ. (2019). ‘Pakistan: Immediately revoke oppressive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Actions (In Aid of Civil Power) Ordinance’. September 27. Available: https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Pakistan-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa-Actions-Ordinance-Press-releases-2019-ENG.pdf. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Imran, Mohammad. (2017). ‘Govt asked to satisfy court on ‘role of armed forces as an arbitrator’ in agreement with protesters’. Dawn. November 27. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1373184/govt-asked-to-satisfy-court-on-role-of-armed-forces-as-an-arbitrator-in-agreement-with-protesters . Accessed: 13 July 2025.
Javed, Farhat and Guinto, Joel. (2023). ‘Why was former Pakistan PM Imran Khan arrested?’ BBC. May 10. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65541518. Accessed: 21 July 2023.
Junaidi, Ikram. (2018). ‘HRCP pessimistic about free, fair election’. Dawn. July 17. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1420583. Accessed: 14 July 2025.
—————–. (2023). ‘Imran planned to settle TTP fighters in ex-Fata’. Dawn. January 11. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1731063. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Kamran, Tahir. (2008). Democracy and Governance in Pakistan. South Asia Partnership-Pakistan. Lahore.
Khan, Asad Rahim. (2022). ‘No confidence: How did Prime Minister Imran Khan end up here?’. Dawn. March 17. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1680285. Accessed: 20 July 2025.
Khan, Eesha Arshad. (2025). ‘The Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016: An Analysis’. Lahore University of Management Sciences. Available: https://sahsol.lums.edu.pk/node/12862. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Khan, Iftikhar A. (2018). ‘ECP wants FIA to identify caller who ordered RTS closure’. October 11. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1438241 . Accessed: 14 July 2025.
Khan, Imran and Haider, Syed Karim. (2017). ‘General Muhammad Zia Ul Haq and Non-Party Politics in Pakistan: An Analysis’. Pakistan Social Sciences Review. Issue. 1. No.1. Pp. 174-185. http://doi.org/10.35484/pssr.2017(1-I)14 .
Khan, Ismail. (2016). ‘Khattak accepts resignation a day before official was to order key probe’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1266657. . Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Khan, Sher Ali. (2017). ‘Captain’s call: How Imran Khan is hurting his own politics’. Herald. May 31. Available: https://herald.dawn.com/news/1153595 . Accessed: 09 July 2025.
Khan, Zaigham. (2022). ‘The Promise of Imran Khan’. Dawn. April 10. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1684309. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
Khattak, Daud. (2010). ‘Defining ‘Victory’ In Pakistan’s War on The Taliban’. Radio Free Europe. June 24. Available: https://www.rferl.org/a/Defining_Victory_In_Pakistans_War_On_The_Taliban/2081586.html. Accessed: 04 Aug 2025.
Krause-Jackson, Flavia and Quick, Martin. (2025). ‘Global Voter Fury Ushers in Era of the ‘Authoritarian Populist’’. Bloomberg. Jan 17. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-01-17/global-voter-anger-lifts-populist-leaders-to-power-in-new-era
Lodhi, Maleeha. (1980). Bhutto, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party and Political Development in Pakistan. PhD dissertation. University of London.
Malik, Arshad Aziz. (2025). ‘Joblessness crisis in KP: 866,000 applicants compete for 16,454 teaching posts.’ The News International. June 01. Available: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1317390-joblessness-crisis-in-kp-866-000-applicants-compete-for-16-454-teaching-posts. Accessed: 03 June 2025.
Malik, Arshad Aziz. (2025). ‘Kohistan corruption scandal: Mercedes, BMW, Audi, other luxury vehicles worth Rs940m recovered’. The News International. July 16. Available: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1328685-mercedes-bmw-audi-other-luxury-vehicles-worth-rs-940m-recovered. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
Malik, Zahra A. and Cheema, Ammara Tariq. (2024). ‘Radicalization Redefined: Pakistan’s Democratic Pursuits Under Thick Populist Narratives’. Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review. Vol. 8, No. 3. Pp. 775-790.
Mao, Frances and Davies, Caroline. (2024). ‘Imran Khan: Former Pakistan PM and wife Bushra Bibi jailed for corruption’. BBC. February 01. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68150959. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Marwat, Fazal-ur-Rahim Khan. (2005). From Muhajir to Mujahid: Politics of War Through Aid, a Case Study of Afghan Refugees in NWFP). Pakistan Study Centre. University of Peshawar.
Masood, Abdullah. (2023). The Role of Political Parties in Political Development of Pakistan: A Case Study of PTI. MPhil Thesis. Department of Pakistan Studies. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Pakistan.
Memon, Junaid Alam and Iqbal, Muhammad Asif. (2022). The State of Pakistan’s Economy 2022-23: Struggling with Uncertainty. Center for Business and Economic Research, Institute of Business Administration. Karachi
Moran, Marie. (2025). Elite and Left Politics (Forthcoming book). Verso Books. UK. Lecture on the book at https://havenswrightcenter.wisc.edu/event/marie_moran/ .
Mushtaq, Iqra; Baig, Fawad and Mushtaq, Sehrish. (2018). ‘The Role of Political Parties in Political Development of Pakistan’. Pakistan Vision. Vol. 19. No. 1. Pp. 176-190.
Najam, Durdana. (2025). ‘PTI’s lonely road: from May 9 violence to political isolation’. The Express Tribune. May 08. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2544570/ptis-lonely-road-from-may-9-violence-to-political-isolation. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Nakagawa, Scot. (2025). ‘What Epistemology Has to Do with it? The Crisis of Ideology and the Rise of Authoritarianism’. Antiauthoritarian Playbook. May 21.
Nazar, Yousaf. (2002). ‘He May Give Another ‘Surprise’ In Desperation. But The Project Imran Is Over’. Friday Times. April 08. Available at: https://thefridaytimes.com/08-Apr-2022/he-may-give-another-surprise-in-desperation-but-the-project-imran-is-over. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
Oldenburg, Philip. (2017). ‘Loyalty, disloyalty, and semi-loyalty in Pakistan’s hybrid regime’. Commonwealth & Comparative Politics. Volume 55. Issue 1. Pp. 82-103.
Page, Matthew J. et al. (2021). ‘The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews.’. BMJ Journals. 372: n71. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71. Accessed: 02 Aug 2025.
Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly (2025). Overview of the Provincial Assembly. Available at: https://kp.gov.pk/page/provincial_assembly. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT). (2017) ‘International Perspectives on ouster of Pakistan Premier’. Available at: https://pildat.org/inter-institutional-relations/monitor-on-civil-military-relations-in-pakistan-july-2017
Paracha, Nadeem F. (2025). ‘Between Dogma and Survival’. Dawn. May 11. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1910147/smokers-corner-between-dogma-and-survival. Accessed: 27 June 2025.
Peshimam, Gibran Naiyyar; Shahzad, Asif and Shahid, Ariba. (2023). ‘Pakistan calls in army to stop protest violence after ex-PM Khan’s arrest’. Reuters. May 11. Available: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-court-indicts-ex-pm-imran-khan-geo-news-2023-05-10/. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
PILDAT. (2018). Score Card on Perception of Pre-Poll Fairness. Islamabad/Lahore. Available: https://pildat.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PILDATScorecardonPerceptionofPre-PollFairness_May-2018.pdf. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
——–. (2022). ‘First ever Successful Vote of No-Confidence in Parliamentary History in 41st Session of 15th National Assembly’. April 27. Available: https://pildat.org/parliamentary-monitoring1/first-ever-successful-vote-of-no-confidence-in-parliamentary-history-in-41st-session-of-15th-national-assembly. Accessed: 20 July 2025.
Qadir, Muneeb. (2025). Age of Intolerance: Global Populism & Decline of Democracy in the 21st Century. Sang-e-Meel Publications. Lahore.
Rahman, Habib and Rahman, Sardar Anis. (2017). ‘Problems of Small and Medium Enterprises in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’. SUIT Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. Vol. 2. Issue. 1 & 2.
Ratnayake, K. (1999). ‘Pakistani Military Establishes Martial Law’. World Socialist Website. October 16. Available: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/1999/10/pak-o16.html. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
Rizvi, Hasan-Askari. (1991). ‘The Military and Politics in Pakistan’. Journal of Asian and African Studies. Issue. 26. No. 1-2. Pp. 27-42. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/156852191X00039
Rodríguez-Pose A. (2020). The Rise of Populism and the Revenge of the Places that don’t Matter. LSE Public Policy Review. Vol: 1(1): 4. Pp. 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31389/lseppr.4
Rodrik, Dani. (2018). ‘Populism and the economics of globalization.’ Journal of International Business Policy. Academy of International Business.
Rumi, Raza. (2018). Being Pakistani: Society, Culture and Arts. HarperCollins Publishers. India.
Sabat, Ahmad; Shoaib, Muhammad and Qadar, Abdul. (2020). ‘Religious populism in Pakistani Punjab: How Khadim Rizvi’s Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan emerged’. International Area Studies Review.
Sabih, Meriam. (2018). ‘Misdeclaration, mistake, or malafide intent?’ Daily Times. Available at: https://dailytimes.com.pk/271680/misdeclaration-mistake-or-malafide-intent/
Saleem, Raja M. Ali; Yilmaz, Ihsan and Chacko, Priya. (2022). ‘Civilizationist Populism in South Asia: Turning India Saffron’. European Centre for Populism Studies. DOI.ORG/10.55271/PP0009.
Salim, Rabia; Fayaz, Sadia and Mujahid, Fahad. (2024). ‘The Dynamics of Populism in Pakistan: Media, Military, And Religion’. Migration Letters. Volume: 21, No: 8. Pp. 617-624.
Shah, Akhtar Ali. (2025). ‘PTI’s Political Dilemma – between Hope and Realpolitik’. The Express Tribune. 08 Jul. 25. Available at: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554634/ptis-political-dilemma-between-hope-and-realpolitik. Accessed: 08 July 2025.
Shah, Aqil. (2019). ‘Pakistan in 2018: Theft of an Election’. Asian Survey. Vol. 59. No. 1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26606160
————-. (2014). The Army and Democracy: Military Politics in Pakistan. Harvard University Press. USA.
Shah, Aqil and Asif, Bushra. (2015). ‘Pakistan in 2014: Democracy under the Military’s Shadow’. Asian Survey. Vol. 55. No. 1. Pp. 48-59. http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintInfo.asp. DOI: 10.1525/AS.2015.55.1.48.48. 02 July 2025.
Shah, Morial. (2023). ‘Selection Year 2018’. Friday Times. Aug 24. Available at: https://thefridaytimes.com/24-Aug-2018/selection-year-2018 Accessed: 12 July 2025.
Siddiqui, Zain. (2017). ‘The technicality that led to Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification’. Dawn. July 28. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1348211. Accessed: 13 July 2025.
Silver, Laura. (2022). ‘Populists in Europe – especially those on the right – have increased their vote shares in recent elections’. Pewresearch.org. Available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/10/06/populists-in-europe-especially-those-on-the-right-have-increased-their-vote-shares-in-recent-elections/ . Accessed: 12 July 2025.
Sulehria, Farooq. (2023). ‘Anti-imperialism of fools: The case of Imran Khan’. International Viewpoint. Sept 24. Available: https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article8254. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
The Express Tribune. (2011). ‘PML-N warns army, ISI to stop supporting PTI’. November 13. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/291120/pml-n-warns-army-isi-to-stop-supporting-pti. Accessed: 09 July 2025.
Tahir, Zulqernain; Raza, Syed Irfan and Ahmed, Amin. (2022). ‘Pakistan’s Transparency ranking worse off under PTI’. Dawn. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1671455. Accessed: 20 July 2025.
The Express Tribune. (2018). ‘NAB to investigate K-P’s Billion tree tsunami’. March 13. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/1658544/nab-investigate-k-ps-billion-tree-tsunami. Accessed: 19 July 2025.
————————–. (2024). ‘Imran terms May 9 a ‘false flag operation’. September 04. Available: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2493404/imran-terms-may-9-a-false-flag-operation. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
The Nation. (2014). ‘Disgruntled Hashmi drops bombshell on PTI’. The Nation. Available: https://www.nation.com.pk/02-Sep-2014/disgruntled-hashmi-drops-bombshell-on-pti. Accessed: 12 July 2025.
Thomas, Pradeep Ninan. (2023). ‘Populism, Religion and the Media in India’. International Journal of Communication. No. 7. Pp. 2925–2938.
Waseem, Zoha. (2024). ‘Inside a Punitive State: Governance through Punishment in Pakistan’. Carnegie Endowment. Available at: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/06/pakistan-punitive-state-terrorism-police?center=india&lang=en. Accessed: 30 June 2025.
Wilke, Boris. (2001). State-Formation and the Military in Pakistan. University of Hamburg. Germany.
Yilmaz, Ihsan and Shakil, Kainat. (2021). ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: Pakistan’s Iconic Populist Movement’. European Centre for Populism Studies. Available at: https://www.populismstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ECPS-Party-Profile-Series-3.pdf . Accessed: 25 June 2025.
———————————–. (2021). ‘Imran Khan: From Cricket Batsman to Populist Captain Tabdeli of Pakistan’. European Centre for Populism Studies.
Younas, Tayyab. (2018). ‘Pakistan Election 2018 results: Party positions and list of winning candidates.’ Dunya News. July 27. Available: https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/449863-Election-2018-results-complete-winners-list-Pakistan-PTI-PMLN-PPP. Accessed: 21 July 2025.
Zaidi, Syed Akbar. (2017). ‘Where Generals go free, PMs are removed’. The Hindu. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/where-generals-go-free-pms-are-removed/article19380412.ece . Accessed: 03 July 2025.
——————-. (2018). ‘The end of democracy?’. Dawn. June 25. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1415946
Zaman, Qamar. (2014). ‘Collusion claim: Hashmi sees current tussle as a scripted affair. Alleges that Imran Khan has been acting at the behest of ‘others.’ The Express Tribune. September 01. Available at: https://tribune.com.pk/story/756812/collusion-claim-hashmi-sees-current-tussle-as-a-scripted-affair. Accessed: 01 June 2025.
Zikria, Ghulam; Ahmad, Dr. Khalil and Qasim, Ghulam. (2019). ‘Democratic Political Development: A Case Study of Pakistan 2008-2013’. Pakistan Social Sciences Review. Issue. 3. No.2. Pp. 254-266. http://doi.org/10.35484/pssr.2019(3-II)20
Ziring, Lawrence. (2019). Pakistan Enigmatic Political Development. Routledge. New York. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429300912
Zúquete, Jose Pedro. (2017). ‘Populism and Religion’. In Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser, and others (eds). The Oxford Handbook of Populism. (Online edn, Oxford Academic. 6 Nov. 2017). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198803560.013.22. Accessed: 7 July 2025.
