According to the Freedom House report released on Wednesday, Pakistan has been classified as a ‘partly free’ country with a score of 35 out of 100 in terms of political rights and civil liberties. This marks a decline of two points from the previous year’s score of 37.
Pakistan earned 14 out of 40 points for political rights and 21 out of 60 for civil liberties, bringing its total score to 35, as detailed in the Freedom in the World 2024 report.
The report highlights that while Pakistan holds regular elections under a competitive multiparty system, the military wields significant influence over government formation and policy-making.
The military also intimidates the media and operates with impunity in cases of extrajudicial or indiscriminate use of force. Tensions between military and civilian leaders have increased, notably following the removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022 and the criminal charges that followed. Authorities in Pakistan frequently impose selective restrictions on civil liberties.
Freedom House also noted a global decline in freedom, with authoritarian regimes strengthening their control, but it pointed out some positive developments in South Asia. Senegal and Bhutan were elevated to the status of ‘free’ countries. Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom, stood out as the only South Asian nation classified as free, while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka showed progress without shifting categories.
Additionally, Freedom House reported further deterioration in India, which was downgraded from ‘free’ to ‘partly free’ in 2021, primarily due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s increasing influence over judicial appointments.