SOCIAL MOVEMENT DURING AUTHORITARIAN REGIME: A CASE STUDY OF LAWYER’S MOVEMENT IN PAKISTAN (2007-2009)

Abstract

This study focuses on a social movement, the Pakistan Lawyers Movement 2007-2009, which brought about major changes in the judicial system of Pakistan, particularly with regard to its judicial independence. The results of this study clearly show a general political development in the country along with a significant change of the judicial system, especially the independence of the judiciary after the historic Lawyers Movement 2007-2009 in Pakistan. Throughout history, Pakistan has kept on shifting between a fragile military and civilian rule, where the judiciary has often been used to legalize extra-constitutional steps, particularly during military regimes. The aim of this research would be to understand and contextualize the reasons for the emergence of the Lawyers Movement 2007-2009 along with its implications, impact and indirect consequences both social and political, and it would explore the role of social movements against authoritarian regimes in Pakistan. A traditional version of the resource mobilization theory has been utilized as the theoretical framework for this investigation in the non-western country like Pakistan.