Democracy has never taken root in Pakistan and the country has been under the rule of dictators for most of its history. Significantly, the military has never released its hold on political power and has preferred to remain a backseat driver guiding and limiting the evolution of democracy. General Zia-ul-Haq's indoctrination of jihad through state funded madrassas produced radical Islamism, which “permeated the military and the influence of the most extreme groups crept into the army”. To accommodate the conflicting demands of jihad and democracy, Pakistan has resorted to the policy of “double game”, where the state follows a policy of deliberate disagreement between the promises made and the policies followed. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency is only answerable to the army chief and in playing the game it has converted the country into a backyard for breeding jihadi warriors. The ISI with its unparalleled and virtually unchecked powers follows a policy of its own, whereby it plays both sides of the war with fragile dexterity.
