ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of the release of Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD) Assessment Report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government has devised a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) Improvement Strategy focusing on nine priority areas, including showcasing progress on merit-based appointments and promotions in the lower judiciary. Under this strategy, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will be the lead ministry for media spotlight and will coordinate all actions and measures to mitigate negative perceptions and positively impact the country’s image.
The CPI report is likely to be released by Transparency International in February 2026.
Out of the nine priority areas identified by the government for showcasing improvement in the CPI, it plans to bring transparency to anti-corruption efforts with the lead role of Ministry of Finance, National Accountability Bureau (NAB), provincial governments, FIA, NCCIA and Ombudsmen. Under this initiative, NAB’s annual report on public money and private land will be issued with details; SBP and SECP will publish reports on anti-money laundering measures; FIA/ NCCIA will highlight measures against cyber/online/ betting app fraud; whistleblower laws, as they exist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), will need to be enacted in other provinces; NAB chairman will interact with foreign media and hold press briefings; provincial departments will issue respective anti-corruption reports; the existing status on the Right to Information will be highlighted; and federal/ provincial ombudsman reports will be published.
Under Transparency in Political Financing, the Election Commission of Pakistan will issue reports confirming compliance by all political parties.
The showcasing of transparency in the judiciary will be done under which the Ministry of Law will report on merit-based appointments and promotions in the lower judiciary, achievements in the digital court case management system, issue case disposal performance reports for 2024 and report on the disposal of corruption-related cases since 2021.
Another priority area is merit-based appointments, with three major departments—the Federal Public Service Commission, Establishment Division and chief secretaries of provincial governments—taking the lead. These departments will issue handouts on appointments and hiring in 2024-25, elimination of federal government vacancies and professional as well as performance contracts.
The priority area of transparency in the taxation system will be led by the Ministry of Finance, FBR, and provincial governments, whereby handouts will be issued on achievements in the non-contact taxation system, improvement in collection, reduction in evasion and corruption, public exemption reports with revenue estimates and provincial handouts to highlight achievements in the online receipt system.
Another priority area is transparency in the climate registry, led by the Ministry of Climate Change and the Planning Commission, under which the efforts of the Ministry of Climate Change will be showcased and transparency in carbon credits will be ensured.
The priority area of transparency in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be led by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries, and Ministry of Privatisation. Under this initiative, a report on regional firms through SMEDA/ SECP one-window facilities will be released; a report by FPCCI/ PBC on improvement in business experience will be issued; the SECP will be highlighted regarding corporate disclosures, audited financials, and public beneficial ownership information for listed firms; and the economic impact due to transparency in the management/ closure of SOEs will be highlighted.
Under the priority area of transparency in procurement, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) will ensure 100 percent of tenders are posted online, a list of contracts awarded is available on the PPRA website, the number of contracts through e-procurement showcases transparency and the PPRA Annual Report including the financial dividend of e-procurement will be issued.
Transparency in Auditing will be another priority area, as the Auditor General will issue audit reports for 2023-24 and hold a press conference to showcase findings.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked all relevant ministries, divisions, and departments to share their progress, as a coordination conference will be held on December 16, 2025, to reach a mutual understanding on this subject.
