Political Participation and Landscape of Pakistani Youth

Here are key points of the survey:

• Economic concerns top the list of national priorities for Pakistanis. Education and health are identified as the biggest priorities, with military interference in politics considered of least importance. Highest importance given to health and education in aided responses, with notable gender differences.
• Citizens exhibit high trust in the army (74%), followed by the Supreme Court (58%), with the media (54%) and Election Commission (42%) ranking lowest among trusted institutions.
• Despite low political awareness, 70% of Pakistani youth claim they will vote in upcoming elections. Three in four Pakistanis believe elections will steer the country in the right direction, while two in three expect the elections to be free and fair.
• One in five Pakistanis has switched their preferred political party from 2018 to 2024. Voters prioritize candidates with honesty, integrity, and high ethical standards.
• Half of Pakistani youth believe elections will not significantly affect their daily lives. Three in five youngsters feel political leaders do not understand their issues or priorities, with higher sentiment among females, rural populations, and those in Islamabad.
• Most young Pakistanis do not wish to immigrate; those considering it are mainly higher-class men.
• TV, social media, and word of mouth are the most favored sources of information. Females prefer TV, while males favor social media for news consumption. 
• WhatsApp (46%) leads as the most used social media platform among the youth, followed by Facebook (40%), with Twitter at 8%.