What is freedom of expression index in Pakistan?

Freedom of expression index in Pakistan was 0.559 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Pakistan?

The highest recorded value was 0.838 in 2012.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Pakistan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.08 in 1878.

How does Pakistan rank for freedom of expression index?

Pakistan ranks 113th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Pakistan?

Over the last ten years it is down 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Pakistan data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Pakistan: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.559 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.559

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

113th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.838

in 2012

All-time low

0.08

in 1878

Years of data

187

1839–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan, 1839–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, freedom of expression index in Pakistan stood at 0.559.

That represents a change of down 24.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Pakistan peaked at 0.838 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.08, in 1878.

Pakistan ranks 113th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan, 1839 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1839	0.163	—
1840	0.163	+0.0%
1841	0.163	+0.0%
1842	0.163	+0.0%
1843	0.163	+0.0%
1844	0.163	+0.0%
1845	0.163	+0.0%
1846	0.163	+0.0%
1847	0.163	+0.0%
1848	0.163	+0.0%
1849	0.163	+0.0%
1850	0.163	+0.0%
1851	0.163	+0.0%
1852	0.163	+0.0%
1853	0.163	+0.0%
1854	0.163	+0.0%
1855	0.163	+0.0%
1856	0.163	+0.0%
1857	0.163	+0.0%
1858	0.147	-9.8%
1859	0.147	+0.0%
1860	0.147	+0.0%
1861	0.147	+0.0%
1862	0.147	+0.0%
1863	0.147	+0.0%
1864	0.147	+0.0%
1865	0.147	+0.0%
1866	0.147	+0.0%
1867	0.147	+0.0%
1868	0.147	+0.0%
1869	0.147	+0.0%
1870	0.147	+0.0%
1871	0.147	+0.0%
1872	0.147	+0.0%
1873	0.147	+0.0%
1874	0.147	+0.0%
1875	0.147	+0.0%
1876	0.147	+0.0%
1877	0.135	-8.2%
1878	0.08	-40.7%
1879	0.08	+0.0%
1880	0.08	+0.0%
1881	0.182	+127.5%
1882	0.198	+8.8%
1883	0.282	+42.4%
1884	0.282	+0.0%
1885	0.282	+0.0%
1886	0.282	+0.0%
1887	0.282	+0.0%
1888	0.282	+0.0%
1889	0.282	+0.0%
1890	0.282	+0.0%
1891	0.282	+0.0%
1892	0.282	+0.0%
1893	0.282	+0.0%
1894	0.282	+0.0%
1895	0.282	+0.0%
1896	0.282	+0.0%
1897	0.282	+0.0%
1898	0.282	+0.0%
1899	0.282	+0.0%
1900	0.292	+3.5%
1901	0.292	+0.0%
1902	0.292	+0.0%
1903	0.292	+0.0%
1904	0.292	+0.0%
1905	0.292	+0.0%
1906	0.292	+0.0%
1907	0.292	+0.0%
1908	0.286	-2.1%
1909	0.286	+0.0%
1910	0.286	+0.0%
1911	0.286	+0.0%
1912	0.286	+0.0%
1913	0.286	+0.0%
1914	0.286	+0.0%
1915	0.286	+0.0%
1916	0.286	+0.0%
1917	0.286	+0.0%
1918	0.286	+0.0%
1919	0.286	+0.0%
1920	0.286	+0.0%
1921	0.286	+0.0%
1922	0.286	+0.0%
1923	0.286	+0.0%
1924	0.286	+0.0%
1925	0.286	+0.0%
1926	0.286	+0.0%
1927	0.286	+0.0%
1928	0.286	+0.0%
1929	0.286	+0.0%
1930	0.278	-2.8%
1931	0.278	+0.0%
1932	0.278	+0.0%
1933	0.278	+0.0%
1934	0.278	+0.0%
1935	0.276	-0.7%
1936	0.277	+0.4%
1937	0.277	+0.0%
1938	0.277	+0.0%
1939	0.277	+0.0%
1940	0.279	+0.7%
1941	0.279	+0.0%
1942	0.279	+0.0%
1943	0.279	+0.0%
1944	0.279	+0.0%
1945	0.422	+51.3%
1946	0.422	+0.0%
1947	0.435	+3.1%
1948	0.435	+0.0%
1949	0.435	+0.0%
1950	0.442	+1.6%
1951	0.442	+0.0%
1952	0.442	+0.0%
1953	0.442	+0.0%
1954	0.442	+0.0%
1955	0.442	+0.0%
1956	0.433	-2.0%
1957	0.433	+0.0%
1958	0.388	-10.4%
1959	0.369	-4.9%
1960	0.364	-1.4%
1961	0.364	+0.0%
1962	0.364	+0.0%
1963	0.364	+0.0%
1964	0.364	+0.0%
1965	0.364	+0.0%
1966	0.364	+0.0%
1967	0.364	+0.0%
1968	0.377	+3.6%
1969	0.394	+4.5%
1970	0.533	+35.3%
1971	0.389	-27.0%
1972	0.434	+11.6%
1973	0.433	-0.2%
1974	0.433	+0.0%
1975	0.433	+0.0%
1976	0.433	+0.0%
1977	0.392	-9.5%
1978	0.294	-25.0%
1979	0.244	-17.0%
1980	0.249	+2.0%
1981	0.249	+0.0%
1982	0.249	+0.0%
1983	0.249	+0.0%
1984	0.249	+0.0%
1985	0.309	+24.1%
1986	0.309	+0.0%
1987	0.309	+0.0%
1988	0.364	+17.8%
1989	0.585	+60.7%
1990	0.611	+4.4%
1991	0.611	+0.0%
1992	0.611	+0.0%
1993	0.611	+0.0%
1994	0.611	+0.0%
1995	0.611	+0.0%
1996	0.611	+0.0%
1997	0.629	+2.9%
1998	0.65	+3.3%
1999	0.653	+0.5%
2000	0.716	+9.6%
2001	0.716	+0.0%
2002	0.733	+2.4%
2003	0.744	+1.5%
2004	0.744	+0.0%
2005	0.744	+0.0%
2006	0.74	-0.5%
2007	0.736	-0.5%
2008	0.765	+3.9%
2009	0.801	+4.7%
2010	0.831	+3.7%
2011	0.83	-0.1%
2012	0.838	+1.0%
2013	0.82	-2.1%
2014	0.8	-2.4%
2015	0.742	-7.3%
2016	0.69	-7.0%
2017	0.662	-4.1%
2018	0.631	-4.7%
2019	0.57	-9.7%
2020	0.608	+6.7%
2021	0.637	+4.8%
2022	0.633	-0.6%
2023	0.538	-15.0%
2024	0.559	+3.9%
2025	0.559	+0.0%

Pakistan compared with similar countries

Pakistan's 0.559 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.579, 97% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Pakistan's 0.559 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.367, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1830s	0.163	0.163	0.163	1
1840s	0.163	0.163	0.163	10
1850s	0.1598	0.147	0.163	10
1860s	0.147	0.147	0.147	10
1870s	0.1324	0.08	0.147	10
1880s	0.2434	0.08	0.282	10
1890s	0.282	0.282	0.282	10
1900s	0.2908	0.286	0.292	10
1910s	0.286	0.286	0.286	10
1920s	0.286	0.286	0.286	10
1930s	0.2774	0.276	0.278	10
1940s	0.3544	0.279	0.435	10
1950s	0.4275	0.369	0.442	10
1960s	0.3683	0.364	0.394	10
1970s	0.4018	0.244	0.533	10
1980s	0.3121	0.249	0.585	10
1990s	0.6209	0.611	0.653	10
2000s	0.7439	0.716	0.801	10
2010s	0.7414	0.57	0.838	10
2020s	0.589	0.538	0.637	6

Countries ranked near Pakistan

111 Iraq 0.571 compare
112 Guinea 0.56 compare
114 Jordan 0.556 compare
115 Guinea-Bissau 0.552 compare
115 Tanzania 0.552 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Pakistan

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.16 million (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 90,497 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 90,497 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0045 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Pakistan?: Freedom of expression index in Pakistan was 0.559 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Pakistan?: The highest recorded value was 0.838 in 2012.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Pakistan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.08 in 1878.
How does Pakistan rank for freedom of expression index?: Pakistan ranks 113th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Pakistan?: Over the last ten years it is down 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Pakistan data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Pakistan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/pakistan/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.