Political Activism and Religiosity: An Appraisal on Tehrik e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) and Pakistan Awami Tehrek (PAT) in Pakistan

Abstract

This study explains the consolidation of religious and political forces in Pakistan in the shape of street power politics, oppositional resistance, mass movement, and elections. Islam is the state religion of Pakistan has a profound influence on its socio-political and constitutional setting. Islamic political parties tend to have a strong street power, which at times they have shown on several national and policy issues in opposition to the government. It is an interesting fact that despite having a large following among the masses, religious-based political parties have been unable to materialize this support in electoral politics. From the past several years, a new trend within the religious-based political parties is how a complex puzzle of political activism, religious movement, and electoral politics is used by the political parties in the name of religion. Pakistan Awami Tehrek (PAT) and Tehrek e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) are two political parties that expound this new trend of politico–religious activism. Therefore, this research intends to develop an illustration of the multifaceted political dynamics of PAT and TLP in Pakistan politics from 2013 onwards and the way these parties used religious rhetoric in the political landscape of Pakistan.