Over 92% Pakistani believe inflation highest during current government’s rule – Transparency International survey

ISLAMABAD: A nationwide perceptions survey by Transparency International Pakistan has revealed that more than 92 percent Pakistanis believe inflation and price hikes have been highest during the present government of Prime Minister Imran Khan compared to previous governments.
The South Asian country is facing growing economic challenges, with high inflation, sliding forex reserves, a widening current account deficit and a depreciating currency. Pakistan’s total liquid foreign reserves stand at $22,498.8 million, based on central bank data.
Pakistan's central bank has raised its benchmark interest rate by 150 basis points to 8.75% to counter inflationary pressures.
Inflation had reached 11.5% in November, up from 9.2% a month earlier. The Pakistani rupee has depreciated more than 11% since the start of this year.
“Compared to the three federal governments, majority of Pakistanis (92.9%) consider inflation and price hike to be highest in the current PTI government (2018-2021), compared to 4.6 % in PML N government (2013-2018) and 2.5% in PPP government (2008-2013),” Transparency said in its report, issued on Tuesday, adding that 85.9% Pakistanis said their income levels had been squeezed or had decreased during the last three years.
“National Corruption Perception Survey 2021 has revealed that police remains the most corrupt sector, Judiciary was seen as 2nd most corrupt, Tendering and Contracting 3rd most corrupt while Health has climbed to become 4th most corrupt since the last NCPS 2011,” the report read.
According to the Judicial Statistics of Pakistan 2020 report by the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, there are 46,698 cases pending in the Supreme Court and 1,772,990 cases pending with the district courts.
“Three most important causes of corruption, according to NCPS 2021 are Weak Accountability (51.9%), Greed of Powerful People (29.3%) and Low salaries (18.8%),” it said.
Khan won power in 2018 vowing to root out corruption among what he cast as a venal political elite. While few dispute the need to clean up Pakistani politics, the campaign by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the last three years has become a topic of fierce political debate, with many saying its focus is just on the government’s political foes. The government denies targeting political opponents.