The enabling environment for civil society in Pakistan has been defined by the intersecting pressures of a volatile political landscape and an economy in a tentative stage of recovery from the 2022–23 financial crisis, which was characterized by soaring inflation, external debt stress, and austerity measures under the IMF stabilization programme. While key macroeconomic indicators have improved during this period, these gains have not yet translated into widespread microeconomic stability, with fiscal constraints continuing to exert pressure on citizens and civil society. The aftermath of a contentious February 2024 general elections has deepened political polarization, directly impacting how the state interacts with its citizens and the organizations that represent them. This has created systemic challenges that cut across all six principles of the enabling environment.

The heightened political tensions have led to a direct erosion of fundamental civic freedoms, as the state increasingly resorts to pre-emptive bans on public gatherings and censorship. This has been facilitated by a restrictive interpretation of the legal framework, which has been used not to enable civil society, but to control it through opaque vetting processes and administrative hurdles. The economic situation has compounded these challenges, diminishing already limited domestic funding opportunities while state control over foreign funding threatens the sustainability of the entire sector.

Consequently, the state has become less open and responsive, sidelining genuine participation in favour of selective engagement. This approach has fuelled a negative public discourse that often portrays critical CSOs as threats to the national interest, while the state’s efforts to manage dissent have led to an expansion of control over the digital environment through internet shutdowns and increased surveillance.