Political Parties Shaping and Influencing the Political Culture in Pakistan: Analyzing the Role of Accountability
Abstract
Corruption is a major hindrance to Pakistan's political and economic development; it is a core blemish in the country's political and societal structures. This study analyzes the impact of accountability and political parties' contribution to the molding of political culture through thematic analysis, correlation, regression, and mediation analysis. Survey respondents largely agreed that corruption hinders good governance and development, and there were sharply disagreed views on whether political parties facilitate or reflect the extent of corruption in society. These perceptions were statistically substantiated. Correlation analysis reveals that political parties (PP) lie on one side; on the other side, they lack accountability (LAc) and political culture (PC) and show strong links. In other words, LAc acts as a go-between for PP and PC. Regression results indicated that political parties directly (B = 0.767, p = 0.000) and indirectly (B = 0.159, p = 0.000), through lacking accountability, do affect the level of political culture. Sobel's test (p = 0.00000005) supported the mediating role of accountability, implying its important role in political culture. The result matches what we know about existing literature, which shows that weak institutions aggravate corruption. This study presents empirical evidence for these relationships, quantifies it, and affirms the urgent need for policy interventions. Strengthening institutional accountability, electoral reforms, transparency in political financing, and judicial mechanisms should be implemented to address corruption and promote a transparent political culture. Solving these challenges is crucial for promoting democratic governance and realizing sustainable development in Pakistan.
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