The Economist Intelligence Unit report titled Age of Conflict has attributed this decline to a tumultuous year marl The Foreign Office`s dismissal of international criticism as `neither constructive nor objective` has not helped. Its insistence on viewing the electoral process as an `internal sovereign affair` sidesteps the concerns shared by international observers and Pakistanis alike. Despite the FO highlighting the participation of women and young voters, democracy demands more than turnout. It requires transparency, fairness, and the ability for power to change hands through the will of the people.
It is now up to the incoming government to mount a robust resistance against non-democratic forces. The path forward demands significant reforms aimed at ensuring poll integrity, safeguarding civil liberties, and dismantling the influence of the establishment in political affairs. Only through earnest efforts to restore the pillars of democracy can Pakistan re-establish itself as a country committed to democratic governance.
