Since its inception as a new state in August 1947, Pakistan is facing the dilemma of elites monopolizing power and resources of the country. The phenomenon of elite capture is not new. It denotes to grabbing of power and resources by the privileged class in order to perpetuate its hold over power. Consisted on powerful and privileged strata of society, elite can positively use its power and authority to benefit common people and can at the same time deprive the majority of its rights. Unfortunately, in Pakistan elite capture is aimed to protect the interests of privileged segment of society at the expense of overwhelming majority of people.
According to a study of Pakistan Institute of Development Economics by Fahd Zulfiqar and Abbas Moosvi published in 2022, “Inarguably, the concept of elite capture is broadly defined along the axis of political economy. Therefore, the articulation of elite capture with inequality, power, extraction, and appropriation is organic, which is also the reason why existing scholarship has focused on building these relationships. There are, however, lacunae when it comes to developing a comprehensive understanding of elite capture. Based on the existing scholarship, this brief entails to unpack elite capture on theoretical and pragmatic levels.” When resources of a country are captured by a segment of political, bureaucratic, military and corporate elites, the outcome is the deepening of the country’s economic and political predicament
According to Cambridge Dictionary, elite means “those people and organizations considered the best or most powerful compared to others of a similar type.” If the elite adhere to democracy, good governance and the rule of law, it can help pull the majority of people from the web of poverty, illiteracy and underdevelopment. But, if the elites are exploitive and ruthless in usurping the resources of country and imposing their authority the result is the fragility and failing of state.
Coming to the phenomenon of elite capture in Pakistan, since the 1950s till today, the privileged classes representing feudal oligarchy, bureaucracy, politicians, military and now extending to corporate sector, religious leaders and media tend to deprive 250 million people of Pakistan of their basic rights. During the days of President Ayub Khan, elite capture was referred to 22 families monopolizing over the wealth and resources of Pakistan. Now, elite capture is designated to 500 super influential people who have monopolized power and use their control in Pakistan’s economy, politics and governance to make sure that an ordinary person is unable to challenge their authority. Elite capture in Pakistan in civilian or the military rule hijack state institutions for the perpetuation of their power and privileges because of the failure of civil society to challenge those who capture the resources of Pakistan and exploit it to their advantage.
When resources of a country are captured by a segment of political, bureaucratic, military and corporate elites, the outcome is the deepening of the country's economic and political predicament.
According to a report “‘Elite capture’: How Pakistan is losing 6 percent of its GDP to corruption” by Al-Jazeera, by Abid Hussain, November 25, 2025: “A new assessment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded that corruption in Pakistan is behind an economic crisis driven by “state capture” – where public policy is manipulated to benefit a narrow circle of political and business elites. The Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA), finalized in November 2025, presents a grim picture of a system marked by dysfunctional institutions that are unable to enforce the rule of law or safeguard public resources.” The report further states that, “While corruption vulnerabilities are present at all levels of government, the most economically damaging manifestations involve privileged entities that exert influence over key economic sectors, including those owned by or affiliated with the state.” Knowing that the elite capture of Pakistan’s resources through tax evasion, corruption and nepotism has led to accentuation of debt burden, there is no plausible effort on the part of state to prevent the misuse of power and authority of elites who in order to protect their privileges and perks are unwilling to address issues which deepens Pakistan’s economic, political and governance malaise. Elites holding power also make sure that 250 million people of Pakistan are denied any role to better their socio-economic conditions by causing division and polarization at the popular level. When there is no cogent resistance against elite capture the outcome is marginalization of youth, massive brain drain and economic degeneration.
Implications of elite capture in Pakistan needs to be examined form three standpoints. First, unlike the successful models of governance where the elites use their power and authority for the benefit of people, in Pakistan the situation is different. Countries like Japan, South Korean, Singapore, Malaysia and majority of Gulf States ensure that their elites use authority and power for good governance, rule of law and accountability. When quality education is the responsibility of state along with providing clean and safe drinking water, affordable housing and health facilities, elites use their power and authority for the welfare and betterment of people.
When elites are exploitative and single minded to use the resources of country for the perpetuation of power, privileges and perks they are referred as a group of people who lack ownership to their country. Second, had elite capture not been common in Pakistan, the country would have excelled in per capita income, GDP, economic growth rate, exports, foreign direct investment and foreign exchange reserves. When there is a huge gap in tax to GDP ratio and the bulk of country’s budget is consumed for paying debt and meeting defense expenditures, in that case human development is not the domain of elites. From 22 families during the era of President Ayub Khan to 500 most influential people controlling the economy, politics, governance and state institutions today means 250 million people of Pakistan are unable to assert their position. When the judiciary, parliament, military and bureaucracy represent 500 influential people it means Pakistan will not emancipate it from the clutches of those who hold power and authority. Elites holding power have captured the state and society of Pakistan since long and unless there is qualitative change in society one cannot expect such influential people to lose their power and authority. As a result, 250 million people of Pakistan fail to resist the implications of elite capture because either they are divided or lack power to challenge forces that impose their authority on them.
Finally, the price of elite capture is enormous. It is reflected from the surge of poverty, illiteracy, erosion of governance, absence of rule of law and frustration among the youth. When the elites capturing the state and society of Pakistan lack ownership to their country and can escape when they realize their position to be in jeopardy 250 million people of Pakistan will have to be in their subjugation for another generation. Pakistan would have been better off had the ruling elites been committed to their country; possessed integrity, intelligence and hard work. But, unfortunately, the ground reality in terms of elite capture reflects nexus on the part of power elites, who despite their differences, are united to ensure their privileges, perks and authority by all means. When there is severe price hike of essential commodities hitting hard lower and middle class the elite is confident that any voice raised against inhuman and exploitive acts.
When the civil society of Pakistan is fragile and media is controlled by those who matter, power elites are confident that they can get away with their injustices namely by promoting corruption, nepotism and by negating political pluralism. But in that process they have ruined the present and future of Pakistan.