ABSTRACT
The policy process in Pakistan has undergone a nonlinear development pattern, rooted in the development of the political infrastructure in British India from which modern-day Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh came into being. In addition to the changes in the overall national political system, the changes in the policy process have also been a result of the changes in government structures, levels of devolution, involvement of various institutions, and the political climate of the country. A discussion on the context of policy development in Pakistan will be incomplete without a discussion on the role of religious institutions. An interesting piece of evidence of the strong, and perhaps unreasonably strong, influence of religious organizations on public policy can be observed in the case of the Hudood Ordinance of 1979. Federal and provincial representatives bring policy issues, based on their party manifesto or the wishes of their constituents, to the attention of federal and provincial legislative bodies.
