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Pakistan under Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan-led governments were found more corrupt than before, according to The News International citing a German-based, non-profit organisation.
On Tuesday, Transparency International issued the 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report on global corruption and declared Pakistan among the 10 countries which recorded a significant decline in CPI score. The 2022 CPI score of Pakistan is 27 as compared to 28 in 2021. However, Pakistan's rank remained at 140 out of a total 180 countries assessed by the TI in its 2022 report. Surveys of different international bodies, which provide data to the TI for its report, show that the data evaluated in case of Pakistan covers both the governments of the PDM and PTI, according to The News International. Asia's Pacific report, a part of CPI 2022, dwelt extensively on the Imran Khan government saying, "Pakistan, too, has continued its statistically significant downward trend, this year hitting its lowest score since 2012 at just 27 points amidst ongoing political turmoil. Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power promising to tackle rampant corruption and promote social and economic reforms, but little has been accomplished on any of these fronts since he took the reins in 2018." The report added, "After he (Imran Khan) was ousted in a no-confidence vote this April (2022), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified him from running for office for another five years and filed a plea in session court for criminal proceedings over allegations he failed to declare gifts and profits he made from selling them during his tenure. Khan has begun a separate court case against the ECP, challenging the ECP's jurisdiction over candidate qualification." "While awaiting the verdicts from these two cases, it's most important that the new government does not allow such political scandals to derail comprehensive anti-corruption efforts. It's time for concrete action with a holistic and effective anti-corruption plan that addresses illicit financial flows and introduces safeguards for civil space," it added. TI Pakistan chairman, in a press release, said Pakistan's score has declined to 27 in 2022 from 28 in 2021. Pakistan's rank in CPI 2022 has remained the same as in CPI 2021 at 140 out of 180 countries. Denmark (90) tops the index this year, with Finland and New Zealand following closely, both at 87. Strong democratic institutions and regard for human rights also make these countries some of the most peaceful in the world according to the Global Peace Index, The News International reported. (ANI)
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