Pakistanis voted against their army for the first time. The democracy is both dead and alive

News Snapshot:

Generally, it’s been accepted that each election has strengthened the democratic impulse in Pakistan. Barring, of course, the odd “party-less” — there were a few in the mix, but they were deemed king’s parties — one under General Musharraf, 2002. As this tamasha plays out, it gives us a breather to raise a more substantive question: has democracy won or lost in this election in Pakistan? Well over a week since the Pakistan election results, we still can’t say who won or lost. Nor can we say who’s going to form the new government — the winners, the losers, or...