High Asia Herald Report
An international anti-corruption watchdog report reveals Pakistan is more corrupt than before.
The report released by Transparency International (TI), a Berlin-based organisation has ranked Pakistan at 120 out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2019.
The scale used by CPI considers 0 as highly corrupt and 100 very clean. The score of Pakistan – 32/100 – is way below the CPI average of 43 for the year 2018.
The non-profit organisation releases the index every year, ranking 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people.
Pakistan was ranked at the 117th place for the years 2017 and 2018.
People on social media have commented on the development saying that the PTI government’s rhetoric against corruption and its accountability drive does not seem to be working.
More than two-thirds of countries – along with many of the world’s most advanced economies – are stagnating or showing signs of backsliding in their anti-corruption efforts, according to the
“Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems.”- Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chairperson Transparency International
Countries in which elections and political party financing are open to undue influence from vested interests are less able to combat corruption, analysis of the results finds.
“Frustration with government corruption and lack of trust in institutions speak to a need for greater political integrity,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chairperson of Transparency International. “Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems.”
CPI HIGHLIGHTS
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, drawing on 13 expert assessments and surveys of business executives.
More than two-thirds of countries score below 50, with an average score of only 43. Since 2012, only 22 countries have significantly improved their scores, including Estonia, Greece, and Guyana. 21 have significantly declined, including Australia, Canada, and Nicaragua.
The research shows several of the most advanced economies cannot afford to be complacent if they are to keep up their anti-corruption momentum. Four G7 countries score lower than last
year: Canada (-4), France (-3), the UK (-3) and the US (-2). Germany and Japan have seen no improvement, while Italy gained one point.
“The lack of real progress against corruption in most countries is disappointing and has profound negative effects on citizens around the world,” said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International. “To have any chance of ending corruption and improving peoples’ lives, we must tackle the relationship between politics and big money. All citizens must be represented in decision making.”
Sohail Muzaffar, Chairman, TI Pakistan, said that on clarification sought against the lowering of Pakistan’s score by 1 point on CPI 2019 in spite of increased anti-corruption efforts, the Transparency International Secretariat explained that in CPI 2019 many countries have not performed well this year.
Pakistan’s score is reduced by 1 point to 32 points out of 100, but in CPI 2019 many developed countries have also scored less.
Read the report here.