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

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…