The survey gives Pakistan’s level of corruption its worst grade in a decade.
Pakistan is still ranked 140th out of 180 nations, maintaining its position from the previous year’s CPI.
KARACHI: According to a report by Transparency International, Pakistan is one of ten nations that has “seriously deteriorated” in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2022, scoring the lowest since 2012. (TI).
The CPI is an index that rates nations “by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as judged by expert assessments and opinion surveys,” according to TI’s yearly publication.
Pakistan was ranked 117th out of 180 countries in 2018 but with time has slid to 140th in 2021.
While Pakistan’s ranking stayed unchanged from the previous year, its CPI score dropped from 28 to 27, placing it among the ten nations whose CPI scores drastically decreased. Pakistan’s position, however, did not change from the previous year.
The report made specific mention of Pakistan and noted that, despite the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government’s “promises to confront endemic corruption and promote social and economic reforms, little has been accomplished on any of these fronts since they grabbed the reins in 2018,”
Transparency International emphasised that the time was right for “concrete action with a holistic and effective anti-corruption plan that addresses illicit financial flows and introduces safeguards for civic space,” stressing that it is crucial that the new government not permit such political scandals to derail comprehensive anti-corruption efforts.
According to the research, Luxembourg (77), Canada (74), the United Kingdom (73), Austria (71), Malaysia (47), Mongolia (33), Pakistan (27), Honduras (23), Nicaragua (19), and Haiti are the major decliners with respect to their respective CPIs (17).
India and Bangladesh, who are now ranked 85 and 147, both kept their positions.
The analysis demonstrates that the majority of the world’s nations are still failing to combat corruption, with a startling 95% of them making little to no progress since 2017.
The Global Peace Index (GPI) research, according to TI, revealed that “the globe continues to become less peaceful.”
The statement continued, “There is a clear link between this violence and corruption, with countries that score lowest in this index also scoring very low on the CPI. Governments hindered by corruption lack the ability to protect the people, while public unrest is more likely to escalate into violence.”
With a CPI of 90, Denmark leads the index this year, closely followed by Finland and New Zealand at 87 each. According to the GPI, these nations are among the most peaceful in the world due to their strong democratic institutions and respect for human rights.
The CPI continues to place countries with ongoing conflicts at the bottom. These include Somalia (12 CPI), South Sudan (13 CPI), and Syria (13 CPI).
Security, conflict, and corruption
The study’s conclusions show a strong link between security, conflict, and corruption.
The TI stated in a statement that “the misuse, misappropriation, or theft of public monies can deprive the very institutions responsible for safeguarding individuals, upholding the rule of law, and maintaining peace of the resources they need to carry out that duty.”
It continued, “Criminal and terrorist organisations frequently benefit from the cooperation of dishonest public officials, law enforcement officers, judges, and politicians, which permits them to flourish and operate with impunity.
Furthermore, the research notes that “corruption, marginalisation, and open prejudice enhance the likelihood of violent outbursts and make them more difficult to contain once they occur,” which only makes the situation worse.
Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that corruption directly undermines a state’s ability to safeguard its inhabitants.
The report noted that “weak law enforcement and defence institutions make it harder for a state to secure control of its territory and prevent violent threats, including terrorism,” adding that “the misuse or theft of public funds can deprive institutions responsible for ensuring security of the resources they need.”
As Pakistan tries to deal with the deteriorating security situation, this creates a very gloomy picture for the nation.
The largest militant group in Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), often known as the Pakistani Taliban, has made a significant resurgence in terms of attacks committed within Pakistan after going dormant for nearly five years.
The government is still under pressure to change the course of the nation given the weakening economy.
