According to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International on February 11, 2025, Pakistan ranked 135th out of 180 countries, dropping two spots from 133rd in 2023. Its score worsened by two points, falling to 27/100 from 29 in 2023, placing it among countries with high corruption perceptions.
Key Findings of the 2024 CPI (Released Feb 2025):
The index uses independent sources to measure public sector corruption and warns that such declines reflect deep-rooted issues with governance and accountability.
What is Transparency International
Transparency International (TI) is the leading global non-governmental organization dedicated to ending the injustice of corruption. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, it operates through more than 100 national chapters to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity.
Vision: A world in which government, politics, business, civil society, and the daily lives of people are free of corruption.
Mission: To stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability, and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society.
The organization is most famous for its research-driven indices that provide a "health check" on global corruption:
Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI): The flagship annual report that ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption.
Scale: 0 (Highly Corrupt) to 100 (Very Clean).
Latest Findings (2025 CPI): Published in February 2026, it showed a worrying global decline. Only 5 countries scored above 80 (down from 12 a decade ago). Denmark remains the top scorer (89), while Somalia and South Sudan are at the bottom (9).
Global Corruption Barometer (GCB): Unlike the CPI (which uses expert assessments), the GCB is a massive worldwide public opinion survey. It asks everyday citizens about their direct experiences with bribery and their views on government corruption.
Under its current strategic cycle, Transparency International is prioritizing:
Holding the Powerful to Account: Strengthening systems to ensure that "grand corruption" (high-level political theft) is prosecuted.
Defending Civic Space: Protecting journalists, whistleblowers, and activists who are increasingly under attack worldwide.
Health Sector Integrity: A major 2024–2026 initiative aimed at reducing the estimated $560 billion lost annually to fraud in global healthcare.
Ending Cross-Border Secrecy: Closing "loopholes" that allow corrupt officials to hide stolen money in foreign real estate or offshore bank accounts.
TI is a global movement rather than a single top-down entity.
National Chapters: Locally established organizations (like Transparency International Pakistan) lead the fight in their own countries, pushing for specific legislative reforms.
Advocacy & Legal Advice Centres (ALACs): These centers provide free legal aid to victims and witnesses of corruption, helping them report cases safely.
Independent Research: They use data from institutions like the World Bank and World Economic Forum to ensure their rankings remain objective and non-partisan.
