ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis are more worried about the country’s ballooning debt and soaring electricity and gas bills than any other issue, according to the first-ever National Citizen Survey 2026 launched on Monday, which found a stark mismatch between public priorities and federal spending.
The survey was released at a Citizens’ Roundtable convened here by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) and independently conducted by the Institute for Public Opinion Research (IPOR). PILDAT facilitated the roundtable and led stakeholder engagement and communications for the launch.
The findings present a blunt verdict on fiscal priorities. While 66 per cent of respondents viewed Pakistan’s rising national debt as a grave concern — with 49pc calling it “extremely concerning” — federal budget allocations tell a different story.
Of the Rs18.771 trillion federal budget, 42.9pc goes to debt servicing alone — more than defence, health, education, pensions and subsidies combined. By contrast, federal health spending amounts to just 0.1pc of the budget.
Researchers said the gap persisted across provinces, urban and rural areas, and different income and age groups alike.
The survey, based on 5,155 face-to-face, in-home interviews conducted between Aug 23 and Sept 5, 2026, used a four-stage stratified sample covering all four provinces, 60pc rural and 40pc urban areas, and all major age, gender and income groups.
Of the survey respondents, 19pc named rising electricity and gas prices as Pakistan’s number one problem — the single most-cited issue nationwide. Nearly one in five also cited the sharp rise in the cost of everyday goods as a leading concern, while unemployment ranked third.
On the economy, 91pc said it was difficult to start or run a business in Pakistan today, with taxes named as the single biggest obstacle. The survey further showed that 68pc viewed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme as either harmful or of no benefit to the general public, while 60pc said the education system did not meet the needs of a modern economy.
The survey found a deep trust deficit. No public institution — whether Parliament, the election commission or the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) — was found to enjoy the complete trust of a majority of citizens.
Only 15pc of respondents said they had complete trust in Parliament, while the revenue department was trusted by 13pc. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recorded the highest levels of confidence, at 33pc and 23pc, respectively.
On corruption, 18pc of respondents said they had personally been asked for a bribe by a government official in the past year, providing first-hand data on the issue behind Pakistan’s low global corruption ranking.
The survey also captured a shift in information consumption, with 42pc trusting social media more than television for news, while 56pc of respondents blamed the internet for declining social values.
Furthermore, 79pc of respondents considered the rise in drug use in Pakistan “extremely dangerous”.
On foreign influence, 43pc viewed reports on Pakistan by foreign-funded NGOs and think tanks as either contrary to facts and exaggerated, or driven by a foreign agenda, compared with 25pc who saw such reporting as fact-based.
Mamoon Bilal, Executive Director of PILDAT Consulting, delivered the opening remarks, while IPOR Executive Director Tariq Junaid presented the methodology and findings. Experts from academia, think tanks, the judiciary, the legal profession and the media attended the event to discuss the results.
