EDITORIAL: Representative democracy has been on the decline globally, according to the Democracy Index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This means that many of the aspiring democracies as well as the fully functional ones have experienced backsliding.
The index ranks Pakistan among the “top ten worst performers” based on the track record of 165 countries examined on democratic criteria, such as electoral process and pluralism, function of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties.
Also, the EIU report notes that more than one-third (39.2 percent) of the world population lives under authoritarian rule, a share that has been creeping up in recent years.
It classifies as many 60 countries as authoritarian regimes that tend to become even more authoritarian as time goes on. Pakistan also figures at 124th place in this category of authoritarian regimes.
A few days earlier, Freedom House, a Washington-based think tank that tracks threats to democratic freedoms had put Pakistan in its list of “partly free” countries— not a bad depiction of reality.
We have basic democratic institutional structure in place, but it gets undermined every so often. At present, an essential feature of democratic order, trichotomy of power, evolved to maintain balance of power and harmony among the three pillars of the state, namely parliament, executive and the judiciary has been attacked.
And those at the helm have had no qualms about pulling out all the stops to shred judicial independence. Media freedoms and the people’s right to free speech which underpin democracies are under attack from the so-called Prevent of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) bill, 2025.
The ceaseless controversy surrounding the conduct of last year’s general elections and the consequent legitimacy question are seen as factors that contributed to floundering of democracy.
In fact, the EIU report labours that point, saying electoral rigging is common within autocracies. It goes on to recall that over 70 countries, including Pakistan, held general elections last year and that in many of them authoritarian regimes “used every tool at their disposal to remain in power”. This observation would resonate with many in this country as may the following one: “elections in South Asia in 2024 were marred by fraud and violence … Pakistan’s general election in February, there were allegations of political repression and interference by the authorities.”
People, particularly the system’s beneficiaries, may take umbrage at these issues. But whether they like it or not, that is how well-informed outsiders view this country. Also, important but concerning is the EIU’s summation that prospects for democracy in South Asia remain uncertain.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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