Political stability and absence of violence

Is the government at risk of violent or unconstitutional overthrow?

Indicators

Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism measures perceptions of the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically motivated violence and terrorism.

What it measures

Risk of coups, armed conflict and civil unrest.
Terrorism and politically motivated violence.
Ethnic, religious and regional tensions.
Political protests that disrupt governance.

Why it matters

Instability discourages investment and tourism.
Frequent changes of government disrupt policies.
Violence diverts resources from development to security.

Application in Pakistan

No prime minister has completed a full five-year term.
Periods of military rule (1958–71, 1977–88, 1999–2008).
Terrorism, especially after 2001, which killed tens of thousands; renewed attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in recent years.
Political polarization, mass protests and sit-ins.
Positive steps: military operations such as Zarb-e-Azb (2014) and Radd-ul-Fasaad (2017) and the National Action Plan (2014) reduced terrorism for several years.

Way forward

Democratic continuity and respect for constitutional processes.
Political dialogue and a charter of economy among parties.
Addressing grievances in Balochistan and the former tribal areas through development and inclusion.
Comprehensive counter-terrorism and counter-extremism policies.

Note

Pakistan's figures here are approximate recent ranges; check the latest annual release of the Worldwide Governance Indicators for exact values.