ISLAMABAD: Seven in 10 Pakistanis believe the country will see an increase in women's participation in leadership roles in 2026, according to a new nationwide survey released by global market research and consulting firm Ipsos.

The survey, conducted among 1,057 nationally representative Pakistanis between Nov. 22 and Dec. 2, 2025, found 70% of respondents consider it likely that Pakistan will witness greater female representation in leadership positions during the coming year.

The findings come as Pakistan continues to grapple with challenges to gender parity in corporate boardrooms, political institutions, and civil society organizations. While the country has previously elected a female prime minister, women remain significantly underrepresented in senior decision-making roles across most sectors.

The optimistic outlook on women's leadership advancement is part of broader positive sentiment among Pakistanis heading into 2026.

The Ipsos Predictions Survey found 86% of respondents believe the new year will be better for them personally than 2025, with Sindh province showing the highest optimism at 91%, followed by Punjab at 85%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 83%, and Balochistan at 82%.

Political continuity and digital life
On the political front, 63% of Pakistanis expect the same political party to continue running the federal government in 2026.

The survey also revealed a significant shift toward digital socialization, with 84% predicting people will spend more time socializing online rather than face-to-face in 2026.

Despite this trend, 49% of respondents say they are likely to reduce their own social media usage in the coming year.

Surge in personal resolutions
Goal-setting increased among Pakistanis, with 75% reporting they have made personal resolutions for 2026. This is a significant increase from the 50% who made resolutions for 2025. Of those who set goals last year, 60% successfully achieved them.

When asked about their personal resolutions for 2026, career and financial goals were the top priorities: 43% focused on career goals, while 34% on economic objectives.

Meanwhile, 20% identified self-improvement goals, 15% family goals, 13% physical health goals, and only 9% mental health goals.

Sports and politics
Despite recent disappointing performances, 59% of Pakistanis believe the national cricket team will perform better in 2026 than it did in 2025, reflecting the enduring faith of fans in one of the country's most beloved institutions.

The telephone-based survey used random-digit dialing and employed standardized five-point likelihood and four-point agreement scales for responses across Pakistan's four provinces.

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70% Pakistanis expect more women in leadership roles: National survey