Pakistan loses 16 of 180 places in corruption rankings

Pakistan January 26 ANI The perception of corruption in Pakistan has worsened under the Imran Khan-led PTI government. The country has lost 16 of 180 places to rank 140th out of 180 countries surveyed by Transparency International TI Opposition, but politicians have been quick to join the chorus of critical voices, calling the Corruption Perception Index CPI report a charge sheet on PM Khan and calling for him to resign, according to Dawn.

The PTI govt has broken all records of corruption in the last 20 years, according to Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. Pakistan has been ranked as the 5th most corrupt country in the Asia-Pacific region. His niece and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz declared the Imran Khan government the most corrupt government in Pakistan history, claiming that every sector had witnessed a decline during his reign, according to Dawn.

The Punjab Assembly opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz said Imran Khan's anti-corruption slogans were merely a front for targeting the opposition after coming to power, while the party's information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb asked the premier to address the nation and answer their questions over the latest TI report.

After the publication of the report, there was no justification for Imran Khan to remain in government, said Zulfiqar Ali Bader, spokesperson for Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Imran Khan came to power with the slogan of ending corruption but now he should go home with corruption, he said.

The former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, went as far as to declare PM Khan the most corrupt prime minister in the history of Pakistan.

PPP MNA Shazia Marri said Imran Khan's past claims that he would root out corruption from the country had proven to be lies.

She pointed out that the KP Accountability Commission was abolished under the PTI rule.

In 2020, Pakistan's CPI was 31 and 124th out of 180 countries, but this year it has fallen to 28.

Pakistan's CPI ranking was down in previous years, in 2020 the country was ranked 124th out of 180 countries, 120th in 2019 and 117th in 2018 according to Dawn.