On May 11, 2013, Pakistanis are scheduled to go to the polls to elect a new parliament and governing party or coalition. The election will mark the first-ever democratic transition from one elected civilian government to another in Pakistan’s 66-year history. The campaign has been spirited, with more than a half dozen political parties vying for the popular vote. But the weeks leading up to the election also have been marred by violence. In April and early May, more than 100 people have been killed and nearly 500 wounded in dozens of election-related attacks, according to Bloomberg News.
Muslims in Pakistan were surveyed in November 2011 as part of the Pew Research Center’s study of Muslims around the world. The infographic below illustrates some of the survey’s findings on Pakistani Muslims’ views on democracy and religion’s role in politics.
See also: “Pakistan To Hold Historic Election, But Pakistanis Are Skeptical About Democracy” on PewResearch.org.
