Daily Times May 10, 2021 As a US-returned young Pakistani who got caught up in law I had this unshakeable faith in democracy and civilian constitutional rule. It was because of this feeling that one supported the lawyers’ movement and eventual ouster of the dictator but what do we have to show for it. A hybrid system less transparent that Myanmar’s short-lived “democratic” stint? A country where one cannot breathe freely because of fanatic religious groups that target minorities and where the space for reasonable discourse has been shrinking since the assassination of Salmaan Taseer? This is a shamelessly populist majoritarian electoral democracy at best and that too in name. We know where the real shots are called. It is a strange partnership between the militablishment and civilian rulers of which nothing good can come out. The whole thing is a farce. The civilians play musical chairs while you know who plays the music.