ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the formation of a committee of independent experts to conduct an in-depth review of the latest report issued by Transparency International, aiming to identify areas where Pakistan is lagging in curbing corruption.
Official sources said the move marks a shift from past practice, when such international assessments on corruption were often ignored. The premier intends to address the shortcomings highlighted in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 through consultations with provincial governments and relevant institutions. “The menace of corruption requires a unified national strategy,” a source said, adding that the prime minister plans to devise a comprehensive policy response based on expert recommendations.
Pakistan’s performance in TI’s CPI 2025 reflected mixed global assessments. The country scored 28 out of 100 and ranked 136th among 182 countries, compared to a score of 27 and a ranking of 135th out of 180 countries in 2024. Transparency International compiled Pakistan’s score using eight independent international data sources measuring different aspects of public-sector corruption. Only one source -- the Varieties of Democracy Project -- rated Pakistan better than the previous year, raising its score from 14 to 19 (out of 100), indicating perceived improvement across political and institutional sectors. However, this gain was not supported by enforcement and rule-of-law indicators.
Two important organisations downgraded Pakistan’s standing. The World Economic Forum’s Executive Opinion Survey reduced the country’s score from 33 to 32, reflecting worsening business perceptions regarding bribery, informal payments and diversion of public funds. Similarly, the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index lowered Pakistan’s score from 26 to 25, pointing to continued weaknesses in accountability and enforcement against abuse of authority.
Five other sources reported no year-on-year change, signalling institutional stagnation. These included the Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index, the Economic Intelligence Unit, Global Insight Country Risk Ratings, the PRS Group International Country Risk Guide, and the World Bank CPIA, all of which highlighted persistent weaknesses in accountability, transparency, public-sector governance and resistance to state capture. Pakistan’s overall score of 28 is far less than the average global score of 42. The countries with less corruption score even more than 80 and 90.
Officials said the planned expert review will examine these indicators in detail to recommend reforms, particularly in enforcement, public financial management, judicial effectiveness and institutional accountability.
The government hopes that a coordinated federal-provincial approach, guided by independent analysis, will help improve Pakistan’s future standing and strengthen domestic anti-corruption mechanisms.
