Corruption gone up in Pakistan: Transparency International

Pakistan lost 16 positions in 2021 compared to 2020.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan has slipped by 16 points on the international Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and stands at 140th position in comparison to 124th position in 2020.

The Berlin-based non-profit releases the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) every year, ranking 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and business people.

Pakistan lost 16 positions in 2021 compared to 2020 and 20 positions compared to 2019. In 2020, Pakistan ranked 124th on the global corruption list and 120 in 2019.

In neighboring countries, the corruption score of India and Nepal remained unchanged; however Iran is down by one position Malaysia by five. On the other hand, Afghanistan declined by 9 and Turkey’s by 10 positions.

Denmark, Finland and New Zealand topped the index this year, with 88 points each. South Sudan, Syria, Somalia and are at the bottom of the chart.

Also read: Shehbaz demands govt’s resignation over TI corruption report

President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that Transparency International has testified for the second time that the incumbent government is a thief.

Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement that it is unfortunate that Pakistan has slipped 16 notches further in the corruption index. Corruption is increasing rapidly under Imran Niazi and the whole world is now saying that Pakistani Prime Minister is a thief, he added.

Lauding last tenure of PML-N, Shehbaz Sharif said that under Nawaz Sharif’s honest and competent leadership, corruption in Pakistan declined as good governance, transparency and legal reforms of PML-N improved the ranking of Pakistan in the corruption index by 23 places and country’s image improved in the world.

Also read: Transparency International report charge-sheet against govt: Sherry

Pakistan Peoples party (PPP) senior leader Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said that Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking is a charge-sheet against the incumbent government.

Sherry Rehman, in a tweet, said that decline of Pakistan’s ranking by 16 positions in the report exposes the government’s narrative. The rulers who promised to end corruption in the country have in fact increased the ill-practice in country.

The PPP leader said that government’s accountability drive is only to target political opponents; however, the report has exposing the corruption of PTI, she added.