PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

Pakistan's military, bureaucratic and political leadership have centralized power while failing to respond to the needs of its extremely diverse population. This has led to a sense of marginalization and deprivation, sub- national and ethnic conflicts and separatist tendencies among various disenfranchised groups and regions. Even in regions close to the centre, the State has failed to protect and promote human rights uniformly. One of the only encouraging observations in this regard concerns the gradual acceptance, by some administrators, of the special role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which have persistently supported and promoted the values of civil society.