ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ranked 140 out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2021 by Transparency International, having lost 16 places from the previous year.
As per the details, Pakistan's score on the Global Corruption Index fell by three points to 28. Last year, the country's score was 31. "This shows that corruption has increased in Pakistan compared to last year," the anti-corruption watchdog said in its report.
Transparency International said the CPI shows that corruption levels around the world are stable, with 86% of countries making little or no progress over the past 10 years.
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption.
The CPI global average remains unchanged at 43 for the tenth year in a row, and two-thirds of countries score below 50.
Pakistan falls further in Corruption Perception Index
The top countries in the index are Denmark (88), Finland (88) and New Zealand (88), all of which also rank in the top 10% in the world on the Democracy Index civil liberties score.
However, Somalia (13), Syria (13) and South Sudan (11) are at the bottom of the CPI. Syria is also ranked last in civil liberties.
Of the 23 countries whose CPI scores have declined significantly since 2012, 19 also have a decline in civil liberties scores.
Furthermore, of the 331 recorded cases of murder of human rights defenders in 2020, 98% occurred in countries with a CPI score below 45, read the statement.
'Pakistan has low CPI score as a result of absence of rule of law'
Justice (Retd) Nasira Iqbal, Vice-Chair of Transparency International Pakistan, said: “The absence of rule of law and state occupation has resulted in the CPI 2020 from 31/100 to 28/100 compared to CPI 2020 and ranks of Pakistan from 31/100 to 28/100. CPI 2021 is quite low. From 124/180 to 140/180, while there is no change in the scores of India and Bangladesh from CPI 2021 to CPI 2021.
Delia Ferreira Rubio, chairperson of Transparency International, said: "Human rights are not just a good act in the fight against corruption. Ensuring that people can speak freely and work collectively to account for power, corruption-free is the only permanent path to society."
Shahbaz seeks resignation from 'corrupt rulers'
In his statement on the report, President PML-N Shahbaz Sharif said that Transparency International testified for the second time that Imran Niazi's government was corrupt.
"The report of the international organization is an indictment of the PTI government," the PML-N leader said.
He asked the "corrupt rulers" to resign as the country could not tolerate their loot.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is making rapid progress in corruption in Imran Niazi's prime ministership, "the world is saying the prime minister is a thief".
Unfortunately, Pakistan has slipped 16 places in the Global Corruption Index, he said.
The opposition leader said that it is sad that the country's image has been tarnished internationally due to this report.
Shahbaz Sharif further said, "The honest and capable leadership of Nawaz Sharif has reduced corruption in Pakistan."