Pakistan
Pakistan performs at the mid-range level in two Global State of Democracy categories (Representation and Participation) and in the low range in Rights and Rule of Law. It falls among the bottom 25 per cent of the world’s countries in several factors of Rights, as well as in Local Democracy and Personal Integrity and Security. Over the past five years, Pakistan has not experienced any significant change in performance levels. Pakistan’s lower middle-income economy relies mainly on agriculture, industry, and the services sectors, and it suffers from high levels of government and external debt. Poor education and literacy rates as well as weak governance and corruption are also significant challenges.
Pakistan was borne out of a hastily drawn and violent partition from British India in 1947. The Muslim-majority state struggled with nation-building, given the artificiality of the boundaries and the legacy of partition, and has experienced three spells of military dictatorship over three decades – the most recent of which ended in 2008. Even during democratic rule, which frequently alternated between family dynasties, the military retained a presence in state and society. Further difficulties emanate from political instability, with no prime minister having ever served a full term.
Political leaders have exploited religious and ethnic cleavages, and Pakistan has one of the highest levels of social hostilities involving religion. Blasphemy laws, which predominantly affect Muslims, carry the death penalty and encourage discrimination and vigilantism. These laws also impact the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (deemed by the Constitution of Pakistan to be non-Muslims) and non-Muslim minorities, including Hindus and Christians. Ethnopolitical cleavages exist between the state and various ethnic groups, and between and within ethnic groups (Muhajirs, Pashtuns, Sindhis). Insurgency from separatists in Pakistan’s Balochistan province adds further complexity.
Relations with and perceived threats from India are consistent political issues. War has broken out between Pakistan and India four times, three of which were over the disputed Kashmir region, where tensions persist. Terrorism further complicates the security picture. The involvement of Pakistan in the Afghan conflict has also fuelled instability in the border regions, within which the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) operate. The TTP has claimed responsibility for attacks on security forces and civilians, bringing human and economic costs and undermining support for democratic values in affected areas.
Women and girls in Pakistan face multiple barriers, perpetuated by a highly patriarchal society, regressive social norms and gender stereotypes, impacting their right to health, education, employment and political participation. Particularly striking is the severe gender gap in voting and access to finance – the latter aggravating chronic poverty. Furthermore, despite the passing of the Transgender Rights Bill in 2018, the recent ruling by the Federal Shariah Court striking down provisions in the bill is seen as a major setback to LGBTQIA+ rights.
Climate change presents a further threat to democratization. Pakistan is set to experience rates of warming ‘considerably above the global average’, with the potential to exacerbate existing political, economic and security challenges, as seen in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and floods of 2010, 2011, and 2022.
Looking forward, it will be important to watch Representation and Rights, especially considering the military’s continuing influence. Amid a deepening economic and governance crisis and rising sectarian violence, it will be critical to monitor an increasingly assertive Supreme Court, which acts mostly as a mediator of political conflict rather than a consistent defender of the constitution. Finally, government plans to mitigate vulnerabilities to climate change demands should be watched.
Monthly Event Reports
January 2024 | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) experiences setbacks ahead of the general election
On 30 January, former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a 10-year jail sentence for revealing state secrets. The following day, an anti-graft court imposed a 14-year sentence on Khan for illegally selling state gifts. In another setback, the Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission’s decision to strip PTI of its signature cricket bat symbol, citing irregularities in recent intra-party elections. This move was criticized for denying voters the chance to identify the party in upcoming elections, particularly in a country with low literacy rates, and forcing PTI candidates to run as independents. PTI alleges that the government (possibly acting through the army) launched a crackdown on its members after the 9 May riots, resulting in the imprisonment and forced resignations of many of its members. Furthermore, the Supreme Court in January scrapped a lifetime ban on politicians with convictions from holding office, with disqualifications now limited to five-year terms. The ruling makes it possible for Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party to run for office, while Khan remains prohibited due to his five-year ban from a prior conviction. Human rights bodies have expressed concerns that recent developments undermine the fair competition and credibility of the upcoming election.
February 2024 | General election delivers hung parliament
Pakistan held its general election on 8 February to elect representatives for the National Assembly and the prime minister. Preliminary election results show that independent candidates won 101 of the 336 National Assembly seats, the majority of which are affiliated with jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), headed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, came in second with 75 seats, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) secured 54 seats. With no single party securing an outright majority, the formation of a government remained uncertain, leaving the decision on the next prime minister in limbo. On 13 February, it was announced Sharif’s PML-N would form a coalition with PPP and other junior parties, allowing them to gain a simple majority - with Shehbaz Sharif nominated to resume the premiership. Voter turnout was 47.8 per cent, down from 51.9 per cent in 2018. Despite a record number of women registered to vote, the turnout for women voters remained low. A record 12 women secured seats in the National Assembly, up from 8 elected in the previous election. The election was marred by controversy and violence, including allegations of electoral fraud, poll rigging, internet disruptions, and mobile service suspensions due to two separate bomb blasts near election candidates’ offices on the eve of the election. The significant delay in announcing election results also fuelled suspicions of political engineering.
December 2023 | Crackdown on Baloch protesters
On 20 December, law enforcement resorted to using excessive force, including tear gas, batons, and water cannons, against peaceful demonstrators participating in the women-led "Baloch Long March." Protesters were demonstrating against the persistent repression and human rights violations in the province of Balochistan, specifically in relation to extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Home to a two-decade long Baloch nationalist insurgency (a low-intensity conflict) and about 5 per cent of Pakistan’s population, the region accounts for 2,752 of the 10,078 enforced disappearances an independent commission has recorded nationwide since 2011. On 21 December 2023, authorities arrested more than 300 activists in Islamabad. The crackdown was widely criticized by human rights organizations, eventually leading to the detainees’ release. However, a significant number of activists remain in police custody with cases filed against them, according to Amnesty International and various rights groups.
November 2023 | Forced return of Afghan refugees and undocumented migrants
Pakistan initiated a nationwide crackdown on foreign nationals it deemed illegal residents, declaring 1 November as the deadline for nearly 2 million unregistered Afghans to leave the country. The deportation policy has widely been criticized by human rights groups and the UN, citing concern that those forcibly returned face Taliban persecution and a humanitarian crisis, particularly acute for vulnerable groups like women, girls, and minorities. On 27 November, Human Rights Watch reported that Pakistani authorities have committed widespread abuse in compelling Afghan nationals to leave, including ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and detention, and destruction of property and identity documents.
Explore past monthly event reports
GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022
Basic Information
Human Rights Treaties
Global State of Democracy Indices
Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years
Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
Use the slider below to see how democratic performance has changed over time