
Pakistan

Pakistan performs in the low range in Representation, Rights and the Rule of Law, according to the Global State of Democracy Framework, only attaining mid-range performance in Participation. It is amongst the bottom 25 per cent of countries at the factor level with regards to Access to Justice, Basic Welfare, Social Group Equality, Gender Equality, and Personal Integrity and Security. Despite a positive improvement in Absence of Corruption, Pakistan has experienced significant negative declines in Credible Elections and Elected Government over the past five years. Pakistan’s lower middle-income economy reckons with unstable governance, high public and external debt levels, and weak education access. Climate change is also a significant underlying issue that has the potential to exacerbate existing challenges, with Pakistan highly vulnerable to the consequences of climate disasters – as seen by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and recurring floods.
Pakistan was borne out of a rapid and violent partition from British India in 1947, and has since struggled with nation-building and political instability. Experiencing three periods of direct military rule, the most recent of which ended in 2008, the military retains its presence even in times of democratic rule – when power frequently alternates between family dynasties. Leaders have exploited religious and ethnic cleavages in the Muslim-majority state, with Pakistan having very high levels of both government restrictions and social hostilities involving religion. Blasphemy laws, first introduced under British rule, carry the death penalty and encourage vigilantism. Religious intolerance impacts the Ahmadiyya, deemed by the Constitution of Pakistan to be non-Muslims, and non-Muslim minorities. Ethnopolitical cleavages exist between the state and various ethnic groups, and between and within ethnic groups - Mohajirs, Sindhis, Pashtuns, and Balochs. The forced return of hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees and undocumented migrants also continues to draw international condemnation. Nationalist insurgency from separatists in the Balochistan province – which authorities have reportedly responded to with enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the detention of human rights defenders – adds complexity to Personal Integrity and Security, as does terrorism. Intertwined with Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has intensified its attacks on the Pakistani military since unilaterally ending a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022. Relations with India also remain a core political issue. Three of Pakistan’s four wars with India have been fought over the disputed Kashmir region, which was the site of a brief armed conflict between the two states in May 2025.
Although gender-based discrimination is constitutionally prohibited, Pakistan performs in the mid-range in Gender Equality. Despite implementing parliamentary gender quotas and recently outlawing child marriage, women face multiple barriers–perpetuated by a highly patriarchal society–that impact their right to health, education, employment, and political participation. Regarding LGBTQIA+ rights, homosexuality is criminalized, and provisions of the 2018 Transgender Persons Act have since been struck down.
Democratic progress in Pakistan is stalled by physical insecurity and political instability. In this context, considering the military’s continuing influence in Pakistani politics, aspects of Representation, Rights, and the Rule of Law are important to watch. Measures in the name of counter-terrorism and reasserting governance are often criticized for their consequential effects on Predictable Enforcement, Civil Liberties, and Free Political Parties. Particularly amidst increasingly repressive protests and restrictions on digital expression, these factors are important to watch in the future.
Last Updated: June 2025
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May 2025
India and Pakistan engage in worst fighting since 1971
India and Pakistan exchanged drone, artillery, and missile attacks in May in what were the deadliest hostilities between the two countries in decades. Dozens were reportedly killed on both sides in a conflict which began with a terror attack in India by (allegedly) Pakistani-backed militants on 22 April. India responded with strikes on 7 May on what it said was ‘terrorist infrastructure’ in Pakistan. Pakistan denied that it supported the militants and launched attacks of its own on Indian territory. Attacks by both countries continued until a ceasefire on 10 May, and no further violence has occurred (as of mid-June) since the two states agreed to withdraw troops and open lines of communication between military leaders on 12 May. The outbreak of violence was the deadliest fighting between the two countries since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and the first since both countries obtained nuclear weapons.
Sources: Foreign Affairs, CSIS, Al Jazeera
May 2025
Government passes landmark law banning child marriage in Islamabad
On 23 May, the National Assembly unanimously passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriages Restraint Bill 2025, aimed at curbing early and forced marriages. The new law raises the minimum marriage age from 16 to 18 for both men and women, and imposes stricter penalties, including up to seven years of prison, for those who facilitate or coerce children into early marriage. Rights experts and United Nations officials have praised the bill as a landmark achievement in promoting gender equality and safeguarding children’s rights. Beyond the Sindh province and now Islamabad, child marriage remains legal at the age of 16 for girls and 18 for boys. The legislation follows a similar bill that was enacted in the Sindh province in 2013, with activist’s hopeful that this latest bill (passed by both houses) will set a precedent for other regions to follow. The bill was signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari on 30 May.
Sources: UN Women, Dawn, The Guardian
January 2025
Government cracks down on digital expression
In January, Pakistan’s parliament enacted amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), criminalizing the spread of “fake or false information” with penalties of fines or up to three years in prison. The amendments create four new government-controlled bodies to regulate online content. Rights experts and media advocates have widely condemned the bill for undermining what little is left of digital expression in the country and for containing vague and overbroad language. The previous PECA was known for targeting journalists critical of the government and the new amendments are seen as further stifling press freedom. Prohibited content includes publications opposing “the ideology of Pakistan”, disrupting civic life through public intimidation, or criticizing individuals, including the judiciary, armed forces, parliament, or provincial assembly members. The bill faced backlash for lacking adequate civil society consultation. The development follows parliament’s passage of the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, aimed at establishing citizens’ digital identities and centralizing economic, social and governance data. Rights experts have raised concerns over privacy rights and the country’s shift toward a surveillance state.
Sources: Dawn, Deutsch Welle, International Federation of Journalists, Human Rights Watch, IFEX
December 2024
Surge in civilian and security casualties in 2024
In 2024, Pakistan saw a 66 per cent increase in deaths from terrorism and counter-terrorism from 2023, according to a recent report from the Pakistan Center for Research and Security Studies. In total, 2,546 people are reported to have died, including civilians and security personnel. The figures mark 2024 as one of the deadliest years for security forces in nearly a decade. 94 per cent of terror-related fatalities occurred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, regions which only account for 23 per cent of the population. Nearly twice as many deaths occurred in Balochistan compared to 2023. The Pakistani Taliban (formally Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan) and the Baloch Liberation Army were responsible for a majority of attacks.
Sources: Center for Research and Security Studies, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle (DW)
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