Khalilzad Says Crisis of Distrust Threatens Pakistan’s Governance Structure
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy for the Afghanistan peace process, has described Pakistan’s situation as “more critical than ever” and warned that the spread of public distrust has placed the country’s governance structure under serious threat.
In a post on X, he wrote that ignoring expert warnings and disregarding the demands of the people has pushed Pakistan into a stage of deep mistrust that, he said, could carry heavy costs for the country’s future.
According to Khalilzad, Pakistan has faced three major political, economic and security challenges over the past two years; but now a crisis of public trust has also been added as a “fourth ring” to these problems, increasing pressure on the system of governance.
Citing the results of an Ipsos survey, he said 76% to 89% of Pakistanis believe their country is moving in the wrong direction. He said the figures point to a deep divide between society and the authorities in Pakistan.
Khalilzad also wrote that ignoring the real conditions of the people and leaving their demands unanswered has become a recurring mistake in Pakistan’s policymaking. He added that the situation has now reached a point where overcoming it requires difficult decisions and structural changes.
The former U.S. official stressed that Pakistan can overcome its current crises only if it implements immediate, far-reaching reforms based on genuine public participation. According to him, these reforms must cover both the political structure and the country’s economic and security management.
Ipsos is an international polling and public opinion research organization, and its results are used in many countries as an indicator of citizens’ views on political and social conditions.
