PILDAT is an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit indigenous research and training institution with the mission to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions in Pakistan. PILDAT is a registered non-profit entity under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, Pakistan. Copyright ©Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency PILDAT All Rights Reserved Printed in Pakistan Published: December 2019 ISBN:978-969-558-745-4 Any part of this publication can be used or cited with a clear reference to PILDAT. Supported by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency Islamabad Office: P. O. Box 278, F-8, Postal Code: 44220, Islamabad, Pakistan Lahore Office: P. O. Box 11098, L.C.C.H.S, Postal Code: 54792, Lahore, Pakistan E-mail:
[email protected] | Website: www.pildat.org MONITOR Internal Democracy of Major Political Parties of Pakistan August 2018-August 2019 Prefaceeface One important factor that impacts the overall quality of democracy is the quality of democracy within the political parties. The parties are the building blocks of a democratic structure. If parties become subservient to one or a few individuals and decisions on behalf of the party are taken in an un-democratic manner without involving the decision- making structures within the party in any meaningful way, democratic system of the country becomes hostage to a few individuals. As a result, institutions such as parliament are robbed off their character of an effective forum of meaningful consultation and an important instrument of oversight. In essence, a democratic system without democratic political parties leads to an autocratic system under a democratic guise.