Key media freedoms in Pakistan
Pakistan: Key media freedoms was -0.164 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.164
Change on year
up 63.3%
World rank
112th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.71
in 2009
All-time low
-1.02
in 1978
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Pakistan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded -0.164 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 63.3% on the previous year and down 122.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Pakistan peaked at 1.71 in 2009 and was at its lowest, -1.02, in 1978.
Pakistan ranks 112th of 175 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.
Key media freedoms in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.629 | — |
| 1901 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.629 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.603 | -4.1% |
| 1936 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.645 | +7.0% |
| 1941 | -0.645 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.645 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.645 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.645 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.388 | -160.2% |
| 1946 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.292 | -175.3% |
| 1948 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.292 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.774 | +165.1% |
| 1959 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.774 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.203 | -126.2% |
| 1971 | -0.751 | -470.0% |
| 1972 | -0.057 | -92.4% |
| 1973 | -0.057 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.057 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.057 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.057 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.057 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.02 | +1689.5% |
| 1979 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.021 | -97.9% |
| 1989 | 1 | -4866.7% |
| 1990 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.744 | -25.7% |
| 2000 | 1.07 | +44.2% |
| 2001 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.929 | -13.4% |
| 2008 | 1.15 | +23.3% |
| 2009 | 1.71 | +49.3% |
| 2010 | 1.69 | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 1.69 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.69 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.978 | -42.1% |
| 2014 | 0.765 | -21.8% |
| 2015 | 0.737 | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 0.449 | -39.1% |
| 2017 | 0.449 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.403 | -10.2% |
| 2019 | -0.177 | -143.9% |
| 2020 | 0.292 | -265.0% |
| 2021 | 0.294 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.716 | +143.5% |
| 2023 | -0.124 | -117.3% |
| 2024 | -0.447 | +260.5% |
| 2025 | -0.164 | -63.3% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's -0.164 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's -0.164 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 17% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.629 | -0.629 | -0.629 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.629 | -0.629 | -0.629 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.629 | -0.629 | -0.629 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.616 | -0.629 | -0.603 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.3325 | -0.645 | 0.388 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.3884 | -0.774 | -0.292 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.774 | -0.774 | -0.774 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.293 | -1.02 | 0.203 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.718 | -1.02 | 1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9753 | 0.744 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.13 | 0.929 | 1.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8668 | -0.177 | 1.69 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0945 | -0.447 | 0.716 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Pakistan?
- Key media freedoms in Pakistan was -0.164 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.71 in 2009.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.02 in 1978.
- How does Pakistan rank for key media freedoms?
- Pakistan ranks 112th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 122.3%. 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 Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.