Which Movements Get Negotiated With, and Which Become Security Threats in Pakistan?
A comparative examination of judicial records, anti-terrorism filings, court proceedings, and state responses across Pakistan reveals a striking disparity in how different forms of civil dissent are handled. Mainstream political parties, right-wing factions, and far-right religious organizations have repeatedly been brought into negotiations or permitted to return to political life after major confrontations with the state. Grassroots movements on the political periphery have faced a markedly different trajectory, including restrictions, criminal cases, and national-security prosecutions...
