ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded a marginal improvement in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2025, ranking 136th out of 182 countries—one position better than last year. The country’s overall score rose to 28 out of 100, up from 27 in 2024, indicating a small but notable shift in perceptions of public sector integrity.The CPI assesses perceived levels of corruption in the public sector on a scale where zero represents extreme corruption and 100 reflects very clean governance.
Despite the slight progress, Pakistan continues to fall well below the global average score of 42, highlighting persistent challenges in governance and accountability. Justice (retd) Zia Perwez, Chair of Transparency International Pakistan, acknowledged recent governance and institutional reforms but emphasized the need for effective implementation of recommendations from the IMF’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment to maintain momentum in the coming years.
Globally, the 2025 index reveals a worrying rise in corruption, even within established democracies. More than two-thirds of countries scored below 50, reflecting a widespread struggle to control corruption. Denmark topped the rankings for the eighth consecutive year with a score of 89, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).
At the bottom of the list were South Sudan, Somalia (both 9), and Venezuela (10), where instability and restricted civic freedoms prevail.Transparency International also warned that shrinking civic space and weak political leadership are undermining global anti-corruption efforts, reducing pressure for meaningful reforms across many nations.
