Pakistan Shows Slight Improvement in Global Corruption Perceptions Index 2025

Pakistan recorded a slight improvement in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2025, with its score rising to 28 from 27 the previous year. Despite the increase, the country’s global ranking slipped by one place, moving to 136 out of 182 countries and territories in 2025, compared to 135 out of 180 countries in 2024.

The CPI assesses perceived levels of public-sector corruption based on evaluations by experts and business leaders, with scores ranging from zero, indicating high corruption, to 100, representing very clean governance. Transparency International acknowledged steps taken by Pakistan toward governance and institutional reforms but emphasized that lasting progress depends on effective implementation of anti-corruption measures, including those recommended in the IMF’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment.

The CPI 2025 highlights a worsening global trend, with fewer countries achieving high scores. Only five countries scored above 80, while Denmark topped the index for the eighth consecutive year with a score of 89. More than two-thirds of countries scored below 50, with nations like Somalia and South Sudan scoring under 10.

The report also noted declining anti-corruption performance in some established democracies, citing shrinking civic space, restricted media freedom, and pressure on independent institutions as key factors. Countries with strong justice systems, free elections, transparent political financing, and protected civic freedoms generally achieve better control over corruption. Full democracies averaged a CPI score of 71, compared to 47 for flawed democracies and 32 for authoritarian regimes.

Journalists investigating corruption remain at high risk in low-scoring countries, and Pakistan was identified as one of the nations where reporting on corruption can be particularly dangerous.