The Berlin-based Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2010 will be released on Oct 26 by Transparency International Pakistan, Chairman, Syed Adil Gilani stated here. Looking at the events of last one year that have taken place in the country, it is unlikely that CPI 2010 will reflect any improvement in Pakistan's ranking.
In Transparency International's CPI - 2009, which was released on Nov 17, 2009, Pakistan's score was 2.4 and, out of 180 countries, its ranking had slipped five ranks from 47th most corrupt country in 2008 to 42nd most corrupt country in 2009.
In the 2009 CPI, major sources that provided data based on expert analysis were:
Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Bertelsmann Foundation BTI, Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House and Global Insight. Following the release of CPI - 2009, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, expressing concern over Pakistan's ranking in the global list of most corrupt countries, had ordered an enquiry into the country's poor show in international corruption index and had formed a committee, headed by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin to look into the causes of widespread corruption in the country.
He had also ordered review of all governance issues raised in the media and those in the TI's report in consultation with the Chairman of TI Pakistan, Syed Adil Gilani. Subsequently, TI Pakistan had advised following steps to the Finance Minister and the committee for bringing about a change in the corruption scenario. Unfortunately, it appears that all the 11 suggestions given by TI Pakistan, which would have helped in improving the quality of governance, were thrown in the dust-bin.
Pakistan's ranking may further slip as a result of this "couldn't care less" attitude of the government, in the CPI - 2010, it is feared.
Following steps were advised by TI Pakistan:
-- Once a civil servant retires, there shall be no extension in service.
-- No armed forces retired person and technocrat be included in the civil service.
-- Dr Ishrat Hussain's committee report on pay and reforms of civil servants be included in these recommendations.
- Review of all appointments/ promotions of BPS 20 and above, and reversion of armed forces personnel to their parent service (as already ordered by Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff to their respective organisations) and, termination of services of all retired and re-hired personnel.
-- All regulatory authorities viz SECP, CCP, PPRA, EPA, SBP, OGRA, PEMRA, PTA, PFRA, and NEPRA, etc, shall be made fully autonomous, comprising of professionals, without any nominations from government. They shall be financially self-generating entities, not dependent on government finances, and answerable only to Public Accounts Committee.
-- Motorway police/Highway police models under use in Punjab shall also be implemented within one year in all major cities of Sindh, NWFP (KP) and Balochistan province.
On anti-corruption, TIP had suggested:
-- TIP-PMC at Prime Minister's secretariat for independent third party pre-award validation of procurement tenders of above Rs 50 million value be formed immediately for 12 months, and task to be transferred to Public Procurement Regulatory Authority once revamping of PPRA is approved and notified.
-- Set up independent accountability commission to report to PAC of the parliament, to include civil services, armed forces, judicial services and elected representatives.
-- Conflict of interest provisions shall be included in all public offices, as well as corporations and authorities, including board of directors of PSEs.
-- Draft FOI bill shall be passed by parliament, and all the decisions allowed under FOI Act are to be posted on the website of government departments.
-- All land records in the four provinces shall be computerised within one year.
Needless to mention, this year in an American survey released in October 2010, Pakistan has been declared as worst in corruption and access to civil justice. The Rule of Law Index, which assessed 35 countries around the world on nine key variables, suggested that high-income countries generally respect the rule of law more than poor countries.
In Asia-Pacific: Japan, Australia and Singapore scored well with the Philippines and Indonesia dragged down by weak justice systems and corruption. Pakistan was near the bottom of nearly every index, and worst in fundamental rights, corruption and access to civil justice.