Pakistan has dropped two places in Transparency International’s (TI) latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 135th out of 180 countries in 2024 compared to 133rd last year.Â
The country’s score declined to 27 out of 100, down from 29 in 2023, indicating a further deterioration in perceived public sector integrity, according to the Berlin-based watchdog’s report released Tuesday.
Justice (retd) Zia Perwez, Chair of Transparency International Pakistan, stated that Pakistan’s ranking reflects a broader regional decline, with several countries in South Asia witnessing a reduction in their CPI scores. However, he noted that nations like Oman, China, Turkey, and Mongolia showed improvement in contrast to the downward trend in the region.
The report pointed to Pakistan’s governance challenges, particularly in climate finance and regulatory implementation. Despite facing severe climate vulnerabilities in recent years, systemic barriers, including delays in enforcing the Climate Change Act of 2017, have hindered progress. The country remains far below the projected $348 billion needed by 2030 for climate resilience.
The CPI ranks countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average remains stagnant at 43, with over two-thirds of countries scoring below 50, signaling persistent corruption worldwide.
Denmark retained the top position with a score of 90, followed by Finland at 88 and Singapore at 84. At the other end of the index, South Sudan ranked as the most corrupt nation with a score of 8, while Somalia and Venezuela followed with scores of 9 and 10, respectively.
