2025 country profile

How democratic is
Pakistan?

Pakistan scores 37.4 out of 100 and ranks 126 of 179 in our independent 2025 democracy measure. Its lowest-scoring test is political equality. Explore the evidence and history below.

Democracys.org beta estimate, derived from V-Dem v16. A measure of political institutions and conditions—not a percentage of democracy or a judgment of people.

Printable country brief Compare this country

DEMOCRACYS SCORE

37.4out of 100Far from the standard

2025 rank126 of 179

10-year change−6.0

25-year change+5.8

Source-bound range29.8–45.2

Weakest areaEquality

The source-bound range is an uncertainty guide, not a confidence interval for this combined score. How to read the range →

SCORE HISTORY

Pakistan, 1975–2025

The shaded area is a plain-language uncertainty guide. Treat small score differences cautiously.

About uncertainty

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

What changed on the ground?

A documented development to help interpret the institutions behind the score.

2024 context · Freedom House assessment

Restrictions on a major party distorted parliamentary competition

The election took place amid a former prime minister’s detention, barriers to his party formally contesting, internet restrictions, violence, and vote-rigging allegations. Freedom House distinguishes this from an unrestricted contest. These conditions affect candidate access, public information, and voters’ ability to exercise meaningful choice.

Read the country report · Freedom in the World 2025

AI-assisted source summary · not independently expert-reviewed

What this context does—and does not—explain

This is a selected development, not a complete political history. Its date may differ from the selected comparison period. It is not evidence that one event caused a particular number of points, and it may describe progress even when this index declines.

The scores use V-Dem. The narrative summarizes a separate assessment by Freedom House, whose definitions and coverage differ. Neither organization endorses this website. The summary is AI-assisted, source-linked, and has not received independent country-expert review. Source checked October 5, 2026.

Why democracy measures can disagree →

UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE

What drove the score?

2015–2025 · the measured story

The score for Pakistan fell 6.0 points, from 43.4 to 37.4 between 2015 and 2025. 1 of the five areas improved while 4 worsened, so the headline combines competing movements. Elections contributed the largest downward push in the score calculation.

Read the political context ↓

Largest influence on the calculation

Elections

The evidence rates electoral choice, voting rights, political organization, and the space for open debate less favorably.

Area score: 44.1 → 30.2
Approx. contribution to overall change: −2.9 points

Moving in the other direction

Political equality

The evidence rates the distribution of political influence, rights, and access across social groups more favorably.

Area score: 20.4 → 26.1
Approx. contribution to overall change: +1.5 points

These contributions explain the calculation—not the causes. The five area scores combine several indicators; they do not identify which individual law, election, or event changed.

When did the biggest shifts appear?

The largest year-to-year movements within this period. These are changes in annual estimates, not precise dates of political events.

2019–2020+3.3 points
The overall score rose from 43.6 to 46.9. Public reasoning supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2021–2022−1.9 points
The overall score fell from 45.6 to 43.7. Political equality supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2022–2023−4.0 points
The overall score fell from 43.7 to 39.7. Public reasoning supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.

Highest published score in this window: 46.9 in 2020. Small differences may fall within the source’s uncertainty.

See all five areas and how contributions are calculated

Changes in inputs versus contributions to the overall score
Area	2015	2025	Input change	Approx. contribution
Elections	44.1	30.2	−13.9	−2.9
Public reasoning	55.8	43.4	−12.4	−2.2
Political equality	20.4	26.1	+5.7	+1.5
Rights and checks	50.4	42.5	−7.9	−1.5
Participation	52.6	47.4	−5.2	−0.9

We change the five inputs from their starting to ending values in every possible order, then average each area’s effect on the formula. This distributes the formula’s interactions (a Shapley allocation). It is a mathematical attribution, not a causal estimate.

Inputs and published scores are rounded, so contributions are approximate and may not add exactly to the displayed total. No significance test is implied. Read the full scoring method →

BENEATH THE SCORE

Five dimensions of democracy

The headline score cannot show where a political system is strong or constrained. These five tests can. Each has equal weight in the beta standard.

Free and fair elections

Can people choose their leaders through broad voting rights, honest elections, free political groups, and open public debate?

30.2

Rights and checks on power

Are basic freedoms protected, laws applied fairly, courts independent, and leaders prevented from abusing power?

42.5

Public participation

Can people shape public life through civic groups, direct voting, and meaningful local and regional government?

47.4

Public reasoning

Do leaders explain decisions, consult the public, answer opposing arguments, and consider the common good?

43.4

Political equality

Do different social groups have equal rights, access, resources, and a real chance to influence political power?

26.1

HOW TO READ THIS PROFILE

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.

The score breakdown identifies which parts of the measure changed most. The country report adds documented political context. Together they help explain the institutions at stake—but they do not prove that a specific event produced a specific number of points.

Why this score differs from other democracy indices →

What a declining score can—and cannot—tell us about democratic backsliding

A recent improvement can coexist with a long-term decline. Always compare the dates, check the linked source, and consider developments the selected narrative does not cover.

ANNUAL DATA

Pakistan score table

Download Pakistan CSV

Year	Score	Source-bound range	Elections	Rights & checks	Participation	Reasoning	Equality
2025	37.4	29.8–45.2	30.2	42.5	47.4	43.4	26.1
2024	38.7	30.8–46.0	31.3	46.2	47.7	50.7	22.1
2023	39.7	31.5–46.7	33.4	47.5	53.9	47.9	21.2
2022	43.7	36.5–51.9	37.9	48.2	53.4	63.0	22.4
2021	45.6	38.3–53.5	39.4	51.9	53.9	61.3	26.3
2020	46.9	39.8–54.1	37.7	55.8	55.3	72.5	22.1
2019	43.6	36.5–51.1	36.8	51.4	53.6	64.8	19.6
2018	45.0	37.2–52.4	39.5	52.7	54.2	66.1	20.7
2017	44.2	36.1–51.2	41.9	51.6	52.5	60.6	21.1
2016	43.5	36.3–51.7	42.9	50.8	52.2	58.0	20.2
2015	43.4	35.7–51.2	44.1	50.4	52.6	55.8	20.4
2014	45.0	37.2–52.6	46.9	51.9	56.2	56.9	20.1
2013	45.4	37.5–52.9	47.0	52.5	56.3	59.4	19.5
2012	46.9	39.5–54.9	46.6	52.1	57.8	60.2	23.6
2011	46.9	39.5–54.7	46.6	52.0	58.4	60.2	23.4
2010	47.0	39.2–54.6	46.6	52.5	58.1	60.2	23.7
2009	44.2	36.4–52.1	45.1	48.0	56.1	58.7	20.2
2008	42.4	34.6–49.6	41.6	42.7	54.7	58.6	20.7
2007	40.7	34.0–48.5	35.1	39.3	54.5	57.9	22.4
2006	40.8	34.0–48.4	35.5	39.7	54.0	57.9	22.4
2005	41.0	33.8–48.3	35.8	40.1	54.0	57.9	22.7
2004	41.2	34.0–48.6	35.6	41.3	54.0	57.9	22.7
2003	41.4	34.1–48.6	35.6	40.3	54.0	60.2	22.7
2002	35.8	28.7–43.1	24.3	34.3	43.6	60.2	22.7
2001	31.4	24.8–37.8	20.3	24.3	36.2	60.2	22.7
2000	31.6	24.7–37.7	20.5	25.2	36.2	60.2	22.4
1999	36.0	27.5–43.7	34.0	34.9	39.5	52.3	22.7
1998	35.3	27.0–42.9	39.1	39.2	42.0	35.4	22.6
1997	35.1	26.7–42.8	38.6	38.8	42.1	35.4	22.6
1996	35.8	27.5–43.5	37.0	41.6	44.9	35.4	22.6
1995	35.9	27.6–43.5	37.0	41.6	45.3	35.4	22.6
1994	36.0	27.7–43.6	37.0	41.6	45.7	35.4	22.6
1993	36.1	27.8–43.6	36.8	42.2	46.1	35.4	22.6
1992	35.9	27.3–43.2	36.7	40.9	46.5	35.4	22.6
1991	36.0	27.3–43.2	36.7	40.9	46.9	35.4	22.6
1990	36.2	27.6–43.4	37.2	40.9	47.3	35.4	22.6
1989	37.3	28.8–44.7	37.1	42.3	48.2	36.1	25.1
1988	27.3	19.5–34.0	21.4	35.6	26.1	29.3	25.1
1987	25.8	18.5–32.3	17.1	35.4	21.5	34.6	22.9
1986	25.7	18.4–32.3	17.1	34.9	21.5	34.6	22.9
1985	24.3	17.0–30.3	15.7	31.8	20.3	34.6	21.9
1984	20.3	13.6–25.6	11.0	19.3	21.0	31.0	21.9
1983	19.1	12.2–24.4	11.0	19.3	15.0	31.0	21.9
1982	19.1	12.2–24.4	11.0	19.3	15.0	31.0	21.9
1981	18.1	11.5–23.5	10.7	19.3	13.5	27.8	21.9
1980	18.1	11.5–23.5	10.7	19.3	13.5	27.8	21.9
1979	19.1	12.5–24.8	10.7	20.2	13.5	33.4	21.3
1978	20.5	13.8–26.3	11.4	21.7	13.5	39.5	21.3
1977	31.6	24.2–39.0	21.8	29.9	31.7	58.7	21.6
1976	34.3	26.9–41.9	23.0	39.8	32.2	61.4	21.6
1975	34.4	27.0–42.0	22.6	39.8	32.2	61.4	22.4
1974	34.6	26.9–41.9	23.1	40.0	32.2	61.4	22.4
1973	33.4	25.8–40.7	19.2	40.0	32.2	60.3	22.4
1972	28.9	21.1–35.9	16.7	34.7	23.5	53.4	22.4
1971	21.5	14.3–27.4	15.5	20.9	21.2	30.2	21.0
1970	22.8	15.2–28.9	19.2	26.5	15.3	34.3	21.0
1969	23.5	15.9–30.0	14.2	28.4	17.7	34.4	25.7
1968	24.6	16.7–31.0	14.1	43.1	14.3	30.5	27.0
1967	24.6	16.6–30.8	13.9	43.1	14.3	30.5	27.0
1966	24.7	16.8–31.0	14.3	43.1	14.3	30.5	27.0
1965	24.4	16.4–30.6	13.8	42.3	14.3	30.5	27.0
1964	23.1	15.3–29.2	13.8	42.5	9.7	30.5	27.0
1963	22.7	15.0–28.7	13.8	39.9	9.7	30.5	27.0
1962	21.5	13.9–27.4	13.3	33.6	9.7	29.7	27.0
1961	18.6	11.6–23.6	12.8	26.5	8.1	23.0	27.0
1960	18.5	11.7–23.6	12.7	26.5	8.1	23.0	27.0
1959	20.2	12.1–26.1	12.8	26.9	14.7	23.4	25.5
1958	21.7	14.8–28.0	16.0	34.7	11.4	29.4	21.0
1957	29.1	21.1–35.2	19.6	47.7	17.6	47.0	20.7
1956	29.9	22.3–36.7	19.1	47.7	18.3	45.1	25.4
1955	29.8	22.6–37.0	18.0	49.2	18.3	45.1	25.4
1954	29.9	22.3–36.7	18.0	49.6	18.3	45.1	25.4
1953	30.1	22.5–36.9	18.2	50.5	18.3	45.1	25.4
1952	30.4	22.6–36.9	19.8	48.7	18.3	46.4	25.4
1951	30.6	22.9–37.3	19.8	49.3	18.3	46.4	26.1
1950	30.8	23.2–37.6	19.8	50.0	18.3	46.4	26.1
1949	30.7	22.7–37.2	19.6	50.5	18.3	46.9	25.1
1948	30.5	22.8–37.4	18.0	52.3	18.3	46.8	25.1
1947	30.1	22.5–37.2	18.0	49.6	18.3	46.8	25.1

CITE THIS PROFILE

Source and attribution

Democracys.org (2026), “Pakistan Democracy Score, 1947–2025,” Democracys Standard v1.0 beta; derived from Coppedge et al. (2026), V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16.

Open source DOI

NEARBY IN THE 2025 RANKING

#124Mauritania38.1 #125Democratic Republic of the Congo37.6 #127Kazakhstan36.9 #128Rwanda36.8

All rankings

How democratic isPakistan?

Pakistan, 1975–2025

Restrictions on a major party distorted parliamentary competition

Elections

Political equality

When did the biggest shifts appear?

Five dimensions of democracy

Free and fair elections

Rights and checks on power

Public participation

Public reasoning

Political equality

Two kinds of evidence.One clearer picture.

Pakistan score table

Source and attribution

How democratic is
Pakistan?

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.