Pakistan

Democracy in Pakistan has experienced long spells of military dictatorship or a blend of some aspects of democracy with authoritarianism. Democratic institutions have not developed to be fully responsive to the people's needs and aspirations. The poor quality of democracy disappoints people, and often results in the failure or derailment of the whole process. The need to strengthen and improve democracy was greatly felt in 2008 when democracy was restored in Pakistan after nearly a decade of military rule. The state of the country's democracy was assessed in 2008 as part of the region-wide State of Democracy in South Asia report. This is the only regional report to date produced with the cooperation of experts from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. In 2010, the independent and not-for-profit think tank Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) published the first of a series of annual reports on the state of democracy in Pakistan. So far, these assessments have achieved successes in pushing for reforms. The assessments coincided with major constitutional and electoral reforms, which gave the team the possibility to share the assessment's results with decision-makers at a very opportune time. Most of PILDAT's proposed reforms in these assessments were accepted and are now part of the constitution and electoral laws in Pakistan. When asked whether the assessments had contributed to producing stronger democratic institutions and processes for more effective and legitimate democracy in Pakistan, Aasiya Riaz of the PILDAT assessment team responded 'Most certainly yes—our efforts have contributed to a more sustainable democracy in the country!'

Assessment Reports

• Mid-Term Assessment of the Quality of Democracy in Pakistan 2008-10
• Mid-term Assessment of the Quality of Democracy in Pakistan March 25, 2008 - September 24 2010
• Assessment of the Quality of Democracy in Pakistan January - December 2011
• Mid-term Assessment of the Quality of Democracy in Pakistan March 25, 2008 - September 24 2010 - Executive Summary
• SoD Country Report Pakistan 2010
• Pakistan Summary EXECUTIVE-SUMMARY