Democracy in Decline: Pakistan's EIU Ranking Drops Amid Election Turmoil

The Economist Intelligence Unit reports a decline in Pakistan's democracy ranking from 3.25 to 2.84 due to election chaos and political unrest. The 2024 elections faced violence, voter turnout issues, and internet blackouts, raising concerns about democratic integrity and the election's credibility according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Pakistan's democracy has witnessed a significant setback, with its ranking falling from 3.25 to 2.84, as highlighted in the latest Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report. The decline is attributed to political turbulence and chaotic elections, drawing particular attention from observers due to the disputed polling conditions.

The report outlines the tumultuous events surrounding the 2024 general elections, which saw the highest voter turnout in the nation's history. However, these elections were marred by violence, internet shutdowns, and allegations of vote manipulation, contributing to concerns about the reliability of the election process as pointed out by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Geo News investigations further revealed irregularities such as alterations in vote counts and lack of transparency in results consolidation. Concerns were especially focused on polling stations where discrepancies in vote counting were noted, particularly affecting the credibility of the provisional results.