Opposition slams govt as Pakistan slips by 16 places in TI corruption index

KARACHI: The opposition leaders on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government as Pakistan left 16 more countries behind in corruption index of the Transparency International (TI).

According to the TI, corruption has further boosted in Pakistan forcing the country to drop to 140 ranking in the corruption index.

Reacting on the news, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President and Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said for the second time in a row, the Transparency International had testified that “the Imran Niazi government” was corrupt and a thief.

“The international body report is an indictment. So, the corrupt rulers must resign. The country cannot afford their looting anymore. In Imran Niazi’s tenure, Pakistan is making rapid progress in corruption and the world is saying that the prime minister is a thief,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif said it was unfortunate that Pakistan had slipped 16 places further in the TI’s Global Corruption Perceptions Index.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s honest and capable leadership had reduced corruption in Pakistan, he said. He said PML-N’s good governance, transparency and legal reforms had improved Pakistan’s ranking by 23 places. It was unfortunate that the ruling government had wasted all the efforts, he maintained.