Pakistan adopts ‘hard state’ approach to manage political dissent

Pakistan is increasingly adopting a ‘hard state’ approach to governance, where political dissent is being securitised rather than contested through democratic means. According to a report by Dimitra Staikou in ‘International Policy Digest’, the state is utilizing security as its primary claim to legitimacy to manage issues such as militancy, economic instability, and regional rivalry.

Key indicators of this shift include the designation of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) as a terrorist organization on June 5, the application of anti-terrorism laws against journalists and political actors, and the suppression of protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These actions have been accompanied by communications blackouts, mass arrests, and heavy security deployments. The transition toward using the security apparatus to manage political grievances has effectively moved opposition from the democratic arena into the realm of national security.