Mahmood Khan
Democracy is often described as the government of people, by the people and for the people. Yet in many developing countries, democracy has struggled to become a stable and deeply rooted system of governance. Pakistan provides a particularly important example. The country has held regular elections and experienced civilian governments, but democratic institutions have repeatedly faced political instability, institutional conflict and interruptions. The question, therefore, is not whether democracy is suitable for Pakistan, but what conditions are necessary for democracy to flourish.
Pakistan’s experience shows that elections alone cannot create a mature democracy. Democracy requires strong institutions, constitutional continuity, political tolerance, an independent judiciary, a free media and respect for the public mandate. Pakistan has competitive multiparty elections, but assessments such as Freedom House’s 2026 report note significant constraints on political rights and civil liberties and describe substantial military influence over elections, government formation and policy.
The problem of institutional imbalance
One of Pakistan’s central difficulties has been the imbalance between civilian and non-civilian institutions. Historically, periods of military rule interrupted the development of parliamentary traditions. A World Bank study identifies regime instability and the dominance of the military as major factors behind Pakistan’s political uncertainty.
A democracy becomes sustainable when every institution operates within its constitutional boundaries. Parliament must legislate, governments must govern, courts must interpret the law and institutions responsible for national security must remain within their constitutional role. When these boundaries become unclear, elected governments can struggle to develop long-term policies and democratic institutions remain fragile.
Political parties must also change
The weakness of democracy cannot be attributed entirely to state institutions. Political parties themselves have responsibilities. In many developing countries, political parties can become heavily dependent on personalities, families or powerful individuals rather than strong internal democratic structures.
A mature political party should provide internal elections, transparent finances, policy development and opportunities for younger leaders and women. Political opponents should be treated as legitimate competitors rather than permanent enemies. Democracy cannot flourish when every change of government is viewed as a battle for political survival.
The culture of political intolerance
Another major obstacle is political intolerance. Governments and opposition parties frequently accuse one another of destroying democracy while simultaneously seeking to restrict their opponents when they have power.
This creates a cycle: one government uses state institutions against its opponents; the opposition returns to power and may repeat the same practice. The result is declining public confidence in institutions. Democracy requires the principle that today’s opposition may become tomorrow’s government. Political parties therefore need rules that protect their opponents because those same rules may eventually protect themselves.
Rule of law and independent institutions
No democracy can survive without the rule of law. Citizens must believe that the same law applies to politicians, bureaucrats, businesspeople and ordinary citizens.
Judicial independence, an impartial election commission, accountable public administration and transparent government spending are essential. Freedom House’s current assessment highlights continuing concerns in Pakistan regarding judicial independence, due process, electoral competition and freedom of expression. Strengthening these institutions is more important than creating new political slogans. Institutions must become stronger than individuals.
Education and economic security
Democracy also depends on an informed population. Where poverty, illiteracy and unemployment are widespread, citizens can become vulnerable to patronage politics, misinformation and political manipulation.
Education should therefore include civic education: understanding the Constitution, Parliament, local government, voting rights, responsibilities of citizens and the importance of tolerance. Economic development is equally important because citizens with greater economic independence are generally better positioned to participate meaningfully in public life.
Local democracy is the foundation
Pakistan also needs stronger local government. Democracy should not mean voting once every few years for national representatives. Citizens should be able to influence decisions about schools, roads, sanitation, transport, housing and healthcare through elected local institutions.
Strong local government can bring democracy closer to ordinary people and create a new generation of political leaders. Pakistan does not need less democracy; it needs deeper and more institutionalised democracy. The priorities should be constitutional continuity, credible elections, independent institutions, political tolerance, freedom of expression, effective local government, internal democracy within political parties and greater transparency.
The 2024 general election demonstrated both the resilience and the difficulties of Pakistan’s democratic process: multiple parties competed and voters participated, while observers and rights organisations also raised concerns about the electoral environment and political freedoms. Ultimately, democracy cannot be imported, imposed or created overnight. It has to be built through practice. Pakistan’s democratic future will depend not simply on who wins elections, but on whether all political actors accept constitutional rules, institutions become stronger than personalities, and the citizen’s vote is treated as the foundation, not the decoration of political authority. That is the real challenge for Pakistan and many other developing countries: to transform democracy from an electoral event into a permanent culture of governance.
