Homegrown transparency survey finds wide gap between corruption perception and lived experience in Pakistan

Pakistan’s corruption challenge appears to be driven more by public perception than by everyday experience, according to findings from the country’s first indigenous transparency survey, which highlights a substantial gap between what people believe and what they encounter in practice.

Data from the Index of Transparency and Accountability in Pakistan (iTAP) shows that 68% of respondents perceive bribery as common, while only 27% reported having personally been asked to pay a bribe. The survey was launched on Tuesday by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Ipsos at the FPCCI Capital House in Islamabad.

The survey results indicate a sharp contrast between perception and experience scores. The Perception Index stood at 67.06, compared with a Live Experiences Index score of 15.6. In perception-based rankings, traffic police, government hospitals and inland revenue authorities featured prominently, while actual experience data showed government hospitals, the National Database and Registration Authority and public educational institutions as the most frequently encountered.

Overall, 67% of respondents said they did not face any malpractice during interactions with public institutions. Similar gaps were observed in other areas. While 56% believe patronage and nepotism are widespread, only 24% said they had personally experienced it. In the case of illicit enrichment, 59% perceived it as common, but just 5% reported knowing a public official who had enriched themselves unlawfully.

The findings were aggregated into composite indices to provide a baseline assessment of transparency and accountability. The survey also measured awareness of public institutions and anti-corruption mechanisms. NADRA received the highest satisfaction rating among respondents, while the National Accountability Bureau emerged as the most recognised anti-corruption body, with 37% top-of-mind recall.

Despite this recognition, engagement with anti-corruption institutions remains limited. Only 8% of respondents reported any interaction with such bodies. Awareness of legal protections was also low, with 11% familiar with right-to-information laws and 15% aware of whistleblower protection legislation.

The iTAP initiative was launched in May 2025 to create a recurring, locally grounded benchmark for assessing transparency and accountability. Fieldwork for the survey was conducted in December 2025 and January 2026, providing nationally representative and up-to-date insights.

Speaking at the launch, the planning minister said the findings underline the need to address the disconnect between perception and reality, warning that unchecked negative perceptions could undermine governance outcomes, investor confidence and economic progress. He stressed that narrowing this gap should be a shared priority for the state, businesses and civil society.

The survey establishes a baseline suggesting that most citizen interactions with public institutions are reported to be free of corruption, while highlighting the need to improve transparency, public awareness and communication around institutional reforms.