Staff Report
LARKANA: Commemorating the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003. By theme, “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” emphasizes the critical role that young people play in combating corruption and promoting integrity.
In a press conference CEO Mehran Welfare Trust (MWT) Panjal Sangi along with society activists and leaders expressed that the establishment of this day highlights the recognition of corruption as a significant barrier to development, democracy, and good governance. With 190 countries, including Pakistan, committed to the UNCAC, there is a global consensus on the need for effective measures against corruption.
In Pakistan, the fight against corruption has seen both challenges and recent improvements. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Pakistan’s ranking improved from 140th in 2022 to 133rd in 2023, with a CPI score rising from 27 to 29 he disclosed.
In comparison, other South Asian countries show varied rankings: India ranks 85 with a score of 39, Afghanistan is at 172 with a score of 16, Nepal ranks 107 with a score of 36, and Bhutan ranks 45 with a score of 62.
The CPI is calculated based on perceptions of public sector corruption from experts and business executives, using data from multiple independent sources; scores range from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
To combat corruption effectively, Pakistan has enacted several laws including the Prevention of Corruption Act (1947) and the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The NAO has been recently amended by Pakistan’s Supreme Court to reduce the tenure of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairperson to three years and limit NAB’s jurisdiction to cases involving corruption exceeding 500 million rupees (approximately $1.8 million).
Furthermore, decisions made by the federal cabinet are now exempted from NAB scrutiny. Key institutions such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) are actively working to enforce these laws and tackle corruption across various provinces.