ISLAMABAD: A significant chunk of Pakistan’s population fears political violence in the country within the foreseeable future, as shown by the results of an international survey released by a United States-based grantmaking network on Monday that supports civil society organizations across the world.
Founded by a prominent Hungarian-American businessman George Soros, Open Society Foundations seeks to develop and advance robust systems of justice, education, public health and independent media.
Its annual global survey, Open Society Barometer, was conducted between May 1 and July 21, 2023, wherein it interviewed over 36,000 respondents across 30 countries to determine the state of democracy and human rights in different regions of the world.
Among some of its findings, the survey showed that young people around the world did not display a great deal of faith in democracy, with over a third of respondents between 18 and 35 years supportive of a strong leader who could do away with legislatures and elections.
“Respondents demonstrated a widespread fear of political unrest leading to violence,” the survey report noted. “A global majority of 58 percent – and majorities in 21 of the countries polled – agreed with the statement ‘I fear that political unrest in my country could lead to violence in the next year.’”
“Fear was highest in South Africa and Kenya (79 percent), Colombia (77 percent), Nigeria (75 percent), Senegal (74 percent), and Argentina and Pakistan (both 73 percent),” it added.
Open Society Foundations noted the gravest threat democracy faced did not emanate from rival appeal of authoritarianism but rather the question of whether democratic leaders were capable of delivering for their populations.
“People want to believe in open societies in which checks on power, pluralistic and independent institutions, minority protections, and individual rights enable all to participate,” it maintained.
According to the report, 79 percent Pakistanis also said it was important to them to live in a country that was democratically governed.
However, only 56 percent of them believed that democracy was preferable to any other kind of government in the country, which was less than 62 percent of global average.
Pakistan has witnessed significant political and economic uncertainty for a prolonged period.
The country is moving toward general elections which are likely to be held in the beginning of the next year, though it has also witnessed greater political polarization than the past since the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan in a no-trust vote last year in April.
Over 70% Pakistanis fear political violence in foreseeable future — international survey
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Over 70% Pakistanis fear political violence in foreseeable future — international survey
- Open Society Foundations says 79 percent Pakistanis find it important to live in a democratically governed country
- The US-based organization says people widely wonder if democratic leaders are capable of delivering for their populations
Rotary grant backs WHO effort to vaccinate 27 million Pakistani children against polio
- Funding targets high-risk districts as Pakistan remains one of two countries with endemic virus
- Officials warn that persistent transmission in Pakistan’s high-risk areas continues to pose global threat
ISLAMABAD: Rotary International has provided a $9.9 million grant to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan to support the vaccination of 27 million children against polio in high-risk districts, WHO said on Wednesday, reinforcing nationwide eradication efforts in one of the last two countries where the disease remains endemic.
The funding will support WHO’s operational role within the Pakistan-led Polio Eradication Initiative, which conducts multiple door-to-door and subnational immunization campaigns each year, reaching more than 45 million children across the country.
Polio eradication remains a critical public-health priority for Pakistan, which, along with Afghanistan, is among the only two countries worldwide where wild poliovirus type 1 continues to circulate. While Pakistan has made substantial progress over the past three decades, health officials warn that persistent transmission in high-risk areas continues to pose a global threat.
Since the launch of Pakistan’s eradication program in the mid-1990s, polio cases have fallen by 99.8 percent, from about 20,000 cases in 1994 to 31 cases reported in 2025, according to official data. Globally, cases have declined by 99.9 percent since 1988 under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
“Rotary’s support is the best example of how a partnership can protect millions of lives. WHO extends its deepest appreciation to Rotary for its continuing support as a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Rotary’s long-standing commitment is crucial in our journey toward a polio-free world,” Dr. Luo Dapeng, WHO representative in Pakistan, said in a statement.
The grant to WHO Pakistan forms part of a broader $14.9 million contribution by Rotary toward polio eradication efforts in the country. The funding will support immunization campaigns in high-risk districts of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, covering operational costs such as frontline health worker incentives, training, transportation, vaccine carriers and campaign logistics.
To date, Rotary has contributed $3 billion globally toward polio eradication, including nearly $500 million in Pakistan, alongside advocacy efforts and volunteer support. Health authorities say the latest funding will help sustain momentum as Pakistan works to interrupt final chains of transmission.
Rotary is a founding partner of the GPEI, a public-private alliance led by national governments and supported by WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Health officials say sustained financing and political commitment remain essential as global travel and migration continue to expose polio-free countries to potential re-importation.
“Science indicates that ending polio in Pakistan and worldwide is within reach if we sustain the ongoing partnership and eradication efforts,” Dr. Luo said.
“However, the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in Germany last November is a strong reminder that the cost of inaction would be far greater than the cost of action, since no country and no child will be safe until the virus is fully eradicated everywhere.”
