Soldiers and Islamists in Pakistan

With its recent electoral turnover of power, Pakistan seemingly passed a milestone of democratic consolidation. But beneath the surface, power remains where it long has been—with the military.

The military regime opened up the media sector to more competition and private broadcasters in 2002, and the ramifications turned out to be vast.

If there is a common thread through Pakistan's checkered history, it is the army's perception of itself as the country's only viable institution. As the next parliamentary elections approach, what…