Religious Parties:

Do Religious Politicians Take Risks Differently? Evidence From Pakistan

“…Consequently, losing politicians successfully pursue their political careers by climbing their party ranks, winning important appointments in national and state governments and state agencies, and winning election tickets and re‐election later. For example, despite losing their elections, party leaders such as Maulana Fazlur Rahman of the JUI‐F, Chaudhary Nisar of the PML‐N, Siraj ul Haq of the Jamaat‐e‐Islami among many others continued to hold their party positions, and exercise considerable influence over their party's political and parliamentary decisions (Azhar and Khan 2020; Chacko 2020; Javid and Mufti 2020). The continuing influence of losing politicians is also reinforced by the fact that intraparty democracy is weak so Pakistani parties tend to be “ruled” by a handful of party leaders (Mufti, Shafqat, and Siddiqui 2020).…”

“…Pakistan also has a long tradition of religious parties. More than 200 religious parties representing different sects in Islam have actively participated in politics over time (Chacko 2020). Such religious parties were explicitly founded to represent their specific religious communities, base their ideology on religious values, and promote policy agendas serving their own religious agendas (Chacko 2020; Yadav 2021).…”

“…More than 200 religious parties representing different sects in Islam have actively participated in politics over time (Chacko 2020). Such religious parties were explicitly founded to represent their specific religious communities, base their ideology on religious values, and promote policy agendas serving their own religious agendas (Chacko 2020; Yadav 2021). While religious parties have never won enough seats to form the federal government on their own, they frequently win enough seats to make them key players in forming ruling coalitions.…”

“…Many personally devout politicians may support a secular state with separation between religion and the state. Such individuals will be unlikely to join religious parties since establishing a religious state is one of the most important goals of religious parties in Pakistan (Chacko 2020; Jalal 2017; Ullah 2013; Yadav 2021). Furthermore, since nonreligious parties have been more electorally successful, many ambitious highly religious politicians may find them to be more attractive career options.…”

“…Pakistan has a highly religious population (Pew 2013; World Values Survey 2017), a party landscape that has always included both religious and nonreligious parties (Chacko 2020) and a plethora of politically influential religious organizations (Chacko 2020; Yadav 2021). Conflicting religious and secular visions of the Pakistani state and its society have been at the center of political debates, election campaigns, and legislative politics since Pakistan's independence in 1947 (Chacko 2020; Jalal 2017; Mufti, Shafqat, and Siddiqui 2020). These factors suggest that politicians of varying religiosity are likely to be active in Pakistani politics making it an excellent case in which to examine the relationship between their religiosity and political risk preferences.…”