ISLAMABAD: Climate change along with water and sanitation have become higher priorities in Pakistan, while perceptions of World Bank Group support have declined in key sectors, according to results of the ‘Pakistan National Opinion Survey’, commissioned by the World Bank.
The survey found that support for climate change initiatives increased from 5 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 34 percent in fiscal year 2025. Similarly, support for water and sanitation increased from 9 percent to 35 percent in the same period.
While the World Bank Group’s (WBG) work on pandemic preparedness, gender equity, and disaster risk management received the highest effectiveness ratings, the overall perception of its support has declined significantly since 2021 in other areas, especially governance, education, and water and sanitation.
In qualitative comments, respondents called for the WBG to deepen its local engagement in Pakistan, “moving beyond interactions at the federal level toward more meaningful collaboration at the grassroots, provincial and community levels to better understand local needs and ensure effective implementation.”
Perception of World Bank Group support has declined in key sectors
The survey showed that financial resources were considered the WBG’s greatest value for Pakistan at 48 percent, followed by knowledge products (33 percent), technical assistance (32 percent) and capacity development (24 percent).
While scores on many key performance indicators remained largely consistent with 2021 findings, the survey noted that the only score that showed significant improvement was the perception of the World Bank Group’s effectiveness in achieving development results in Pakistan.
More than half of respondents felt that the World Bank Group has strengthened its work to improve people’s lives (52 percent) and by being easy to work with (51 percent).
Additionally, just under half believed that the Bank had somewhat or significantly improved the technical quality of WBG-supported projects and had partnered with others to increase development financing (49 percent and 48 percent, respectively).
A respondent from a government institution stated that “capacity development of local stakeholders and evaluation of the impact of projects should be necessary in project design.”
One parliamentarian suggested that the WBG “develop people-to-people contacts and involve civil society alongside the government to achieve better results in project implementation.” The parliamentarian added that Parliament and members of local bodies “must be involved in the decision and execution of the projects.”
Collaboration with the national government received the highest ratings this year, but this perception has decreased significantly since fiscal year 2021. At the same time, perceptions of effective collaboration with civil society have improved significantly.
However, the group’s collaboration with parliament and local government received relatively lower ratings, with stakeholders in an MP’s office giving some of the lowest ratings.
Respondents were most familiar with the work of the WBG and the United Nations among development institutions. The survey found that the WBG is one of the most trusted institutions in Pakistan, along with the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank.
Significant differences emerged in how different groups perceived the GBM. Respondents from bilateral agencies and government institutions were more positive about the accessibility of WBG staff than those from parliamentarians’ offices, civil society, and academia. Respondents from local government organizations tended to be more critical of the WBG’s work.
National Opinion Surveys, part of the World Bank Group’s series of programs, explore stakeholders’ views on the economy, future priorities, and perceptions of the World Bank Group’s effectiveness, relevance, and ability to influence the development agenda.
Published in Dawn, October 20, 2025
