Pakistan ranks 140th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index

In Transparency International’s 2022 ‘Corruption Perceptions Index’, Pakistan is ranked 140th out of 180 countries. Total number of points for Pakistan is 27.

Corruption watchdog Transparency International compiles a list of 180 countries annually based on the perception of corruption in the public sector, which measures corruption in different countries on a scale of zero to 100. The list, based on the opinions of experts and businessmen, has a score of 100 as the best and zero as the worst, indicating the highest level of corruption.

For the last four years, Pakistan’s overall score in this list has seen a continuous decline. According to data on Transparency International’s website, Pakistan’s overall score was 33 in 2018, which gradually fell by two points to 31 over the next two years. Between 2020 and 2021, Pakistan’s score decreased by three more points and now after another point decrease, Pakistan’s overall score has reached 27. But its position remained 140th this year without any change compared to last year. A decade ago in 2012, Pakistan had the same score and this is the lowest score of Pakistan in this ten-year period.

Transparency International’s report published on Tuesday ranked Denmark as the least corrupt country with 90 points, followed by Finland and New Zealand with eighty-seven points. The report points out that these countries are among the most peaceful countries in the world due to the presence of strong democratic institutions and attention to human rights.

But according to this analysis, while the corruption situation in the Western European countries has generally been better, there is also a fear of an alarming decrease in the scores of some states in the region.

An example in this regard is that of the United Kingdom, whose score has dropped five points to 73 this year. This is the UK’s lowest score on the list so far. The report on Britain’s downgrade said scandals linked to government spending and lobbying, as well as revelations of ministerial corruption, had “highlighted serious shortcomings in the country’s system of political integrity”. The report added that public trust in politics in the UK has fallen alarmingly.

Similarly, Switzerland, which scored 82 points, and the Netherlands, which scored 80, have expressed concern that their scores may drop due to weak regulations on integrity and lobbying. According to this list, the corruption situation was the worst in Somalia last year with 12 points. South Sudan and Syria, which scored thirteen points, were ranked a notch higher than Somalia, while many countries in Eastern Europe also scored extremely low.

Transparency International has said in its report that most countries are facing failure to eradicate corruption and since 2017, 95% of the world’s countries have not made any progress in this field. The report also states that governments that are plagued by corruption lack the capacity to protect the public and that popular discontent in such countries is more likely to turn into violence.

According to Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chairperson of Transparency International, “Corruption has made our world a more dangerous place. The overall failure of governments to make progress against corruption is fueling the recent upsurge in violence and conflict, and (thus) putting people everywhere at risk.” Delia Ferreira Rubio says the only solution to the problem is Governments should work hard to eliminate corruption at all levels to ensure that they are serving the people and not just an elite few.

In the report, while talking about the effects of corruption on peace and stability, Russia is given as an example. In this context, it has been said that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is a clear reminder of the threats posed to world peace and integrity by corruption and lack of accountability in government.

The report also claims that kleptocrats in Russia have pledged loyalty to President Vladimir Putin to amass vast wealth, secure lucrative government contracts and ensure the protection of their economic interests. This analysis concludes that the lack of accountability has allowed President Putin to pursue his geopolitical and political ambitions without exception. Transparency International has also pointed out that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created instability in the European continent and democracy in the region is also at risk.

Russia scores 28 in the report, compared to Ukraine’s 33rd.
The report says that Ukraine’s score was very low before the Russian invasion, but that its anti-corruption performance has steadily improved since the introduction of key reforms.