Under the PTI, Pakistan’s Transparency Index Deteriorated

ISLAMABAD and LAHORE: Observer Transparency International (TI) has ranked Pakistan 140th out of 180 nations in terms of public perceptions of corruption, the third year in a row that perceptions have risen. When Pakistan’s CPI stood at 31 in 2020, the country was placed in the 124th position out of 180, but this year, Pakistan’s CPI has dropped to 28.

Corruption levels are at a standstill throughout the world, according to Transparency International’s “2021 Corruption Perception Index,” with 86% of nations making little to no progress in the previous decade.

Pakistan’s CPI rating has declined over the past several years: in 2020, the country was placed 124th out of 180 countries, 120th in 2019 and 117th in 2018, according to prior years’ results.

Reported by the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), 180 nations and territories are ranked on a scale of zero to 100 based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption. According to the CPI report, a country’s position in the index is reflected in its rank. Because the number of nations included in the index might fluctuate, the study states that a country’s position is not as essential as its score in determining the country’s corruption degree.

According to the report, the CPI for Pakistan was derived from eight different sources, including the Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index, the Economist Intelligence Unit Country Rating, the Global Insight Country Risk Rating, the PRS International Country Risk Guide, and the Varieties of Democracy Project.

As long as there have been alternative governments in Pakistan, the yearly report of Transparency International (TI) has always been a divisive issue. It has been governments’ prerogative to question the validity of TI data or cast doubt on the motives of the local chapter of the organisation.

Position of the government

Rather than pointing to an increase in financial corruption as the cause of Pakistan’s CPI ranking decline, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry blamed the country’s weak rule of law and “state capture.” The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) lowered Pakistan’s rating from its prior position at a press conference, according to the country’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan’s decline in the rankings may be explained by finding out who is in charge of the Economist in Pakistan, he said. TI’s reliability has been questioned by a government minister who has previously used the CPI to criticise the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government’s performance.

I can’t say that it’s a country-by-country report. As soon as the full report is available, we’ll provide a detailed reaction. According to him, the debate over whether it is right is irrelevant.

Although the CPI score showed a need to enhance Pakistan’s rule of law, Fawad Chaudhry said PM Khan has repeatedly insisted on it.

Highlights from the world

Two-thirds of the world’s countries have a Consumer Price Index (CPI) score of less than 50 for the 10th year in a row.

According to TI’s analysis, “violating civil freedoms frequently score lower on the CPI.” It sparked a downward spiral towards human rights violations and democracy when the battle against corruption becomes complacent. Authoritarianism replaces democracy and contributes to rising levels of corruption when these freedoms and rights are curtailed.

Many nations have taken advantage of this ‘global COVID-19 epidemic as a justification to constrain essential liberties and sidestep key checks and investigations,’ the paper says.

“Increasing limits on accountability procedures and fundamental civic freedoms allow corruption to run unchecked in areas of Asia Pacific. The research stated that “even previously high-performing countries show symptoms of deterioration.”

India’s and Bangladesh’s CPI ratings have not changed from 2020 to 2021.

All three nations in the top ten of the Democracy Index’s civil liberties score, Denmark (88), Finland (88), and New Zealand (88), have a combined index score of 88.

Three countries remain at the bottom of the CPI: Somalia (13), Syria (13), and South Sudan (11). Syrian civil freedoms were ranked the worst in the world, but Somalia and South Sudan were not included in the rankings.