Interplay of Religion and Politics: A Historical Account of Islamization and State Discourses in Pakistan

Abstract

The role of religion in Pakistan is evident at multi-levels ranging from nation and state building processes to shaping informal categorization of citizens and directing national security strategy. The research primarily assumes that politicization of religion by ‘power elite’ is one of the key dynamics of Islamization in Pakistan. This research aims to investigate the key research question; What role has Islamization played in evolution of state discourse and transformation of relationship between state and society in Pakistan. The endurance of colonial state structures and authoritarian tendencies in post-partition period in Pakistan led to provide grounds for non-representative state institutions and power elite to use religion as a political tool to legitimize their rule while discouraging political and ethnic power claims based on electoral and democratic politics. The underlying study is qualitative and employs explanatory approach. This study recommends that without incorporating socio-economic justice; a critical part of philosophy of an Islamic state, Islamization in Pakistan will only serve the political purposes and vested interests of power elite. The viable means is to transform Pakistan an Islamic state in to declaring socio-economic justice as the key goal rather than regulating society with no transparency and accountability on the part of governments and regimes.