Islamabad, Feb 13 (IANS): The latest report released by Transparency International has labelled Pakistan as one of the most corrupt countries in the world where the menace is prevalent across all sectors of government, judiciary and society.
According to the report released earlier this week, Pakistan ranked 135 out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2024.
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). In the anti-corruption watchdog's latest CPI, Pakistan scores only 27, a clear indication of growing corruption in the country.
Highlighting details from the report, several Pakistani analysts have lashed out at the current government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan had disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the Parliament and initiated legal proceedings for indulging in corrupt practices.
Two years later, Sharif's government is also facing similar allegations of corruption.
Last week, a Pakistani court Thursday acquitted Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz of corruption charges in an eight-year-old corruption case after the complainant disassociated himself from it.
Severe economic crisis in the country is being listed as a major factor contributing to the current condition. As inflation rises, people are struggling to afford basic necessities, including healthcare. The country's economy also continues to survive on borrowed money from international agencies and friendly countries.
In 2023, Pakistan narrowly escaped from defaulting International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans. In 2024, IMF approved $7 billion to Pakistan under a 37-month loan programme, with $1 billion earmarked for immediate disbursement.
Last week, the IMF team visited Pakistan to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory system of Pakistan, as part of the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility to address governance and corruption vulnerabilities.