“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” was once said by Marian Wright Edelman. A country cannot be prosperous when its people are silent observers of their own democracy.” The quote defines the situation of an increasing crisis of civic culture in Pakistan, where democratic institutions have been established, but citizens have not yet participated in the process. Democracy hinges on civic responsibility, which means involvement in the governing, respect for the law, upholding of taxes, and engagement in the community. However, in Pakistan, the governance and social cohesion are being compromised by poor civic culture, low turnout and decreasing trust in institutions.

Electoral disengagement is one of the most evident indicators of this crisis. Voting turnout scale compared to 55% in 2013 dropped to 52% in 2018 and 50% in 2024. This is challenging because 55 million registered voters in Pakistan are between the ages of 18 and 35, and more than 60 per cent of Pakistanis are under 30, while almost 48% of young people may vote in 2024, most of them are not involved in local government or community activities.

The crisis is not limited to elections. Another big problem is low tax compliance; fewer than six million of the population of 240 million Pakistanis filed income tax returns in 2025 (STI). This poor involvement in fiscal affairs restricts the state from offering basic services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, which contributes to the suspicion of the general population.

The civic norms are further eroded by everyday habits of the citizens, such as neglecting traffic regulations, being careless with the........

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