While most analysts have tended to view Pakistan’s domestic politics and political system as
authoritarian and label it as a military dictatorship, this article highlights the concept of political ‘hybridity’.

Emphasising the potential for more democratic elements from within Pakistani society in relation to politics, the article traces interactions that have taken place in the interface between democratic forces and authoritarian/military elements. Using the concept of political hybridity and ‘hybrid government’ brings to light the inherent complexities and potential contradictions of interactions between democratic forces and authoritarian elements in Pakistan, from the Ayub era soon after independence to the more recent times of Musharraf.