PAKISTAN Chapter of Transparency International on Sunday came up with a clarification regarding the country slipping three spots on the global graft perception index for 2019 saying it did not reflect an increase or decrease in the corruption as its score falling from 33 to 32 was within the standard margin of error.
The clarification came in the wake of government’s spokespersons emphatically rejected the Transparency International report as biased and accused the organization of having links with the opposition parties. In fact a number of political opponents as well as media had misreported the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and given false figures which compelled TI Pakistan Chairman Advocate Sohail Muzzafar to come up with the much needed clarification on the matter, and the fact of the matter is that the data collected by the Berlin-based organization is not of the tenure of PTI government but of previous regime as well. It is really regrettable that our politicians as well as the media start making assertions and opinions without going through the content and depth of the matter. In fact this is not the first time but in the past also especially on judgments passed by the apex and higher courts, we have seen certain elements restoring to propaganda campaign without reading the judgments. Since politics on such important issues hurt the image of the country, therefore, we will urge all the segments of the society especially the political leaders to be careful in their tone and tenor, and firm up their opinion after fully scanning and understanding the whole matter. Had our political leaders either in the government or the opposition and media fully read the report of the TI, Advocate Sohail Muzzafar would not have required coming up with the clarification. Anyway, the campaign against the corrupt elements and practices must go ahead without any discrimination. Cleansing our whole system from top to bottom from corruption is important to ensure good governance and take forward the country on the path of development.
Clarification by TI
