ISLAMABAD – The police, tender and procurement and judiciary are perceived as the top three most corrupt sectors in Pakistan, according to National Corruption Perception Survey 2025 (NCPS 2025) issued by the Transparency International Pakistan on Tuesday.
The NCPS 2025 comprises the perception of levels and frequency of corruption perceived by the Pakistani Citizens. TI Pakistan conducted National Corruption Perception Survey 2025 through its Partner Organizations, in all four provinces from 22 September 2025 to 29 September 2025 with 4000 respondents (1000 respondents from each Province). This survey is the perception of the public on important governance issues.
“According to the national data, the police is perceived as the most corrupt sector in Pakistan (24%). At provincial level, the highest perception of corruption in police is in Punjab (34%), followed by Balochistan (22%), Sindh (21%) and Khyber Pakhunkhwa (20%). Tender and procurement ranks second at national level (16%), with Balochistan showing the highest concern (23%) at provincial level, followed by KP (18%), Sindh (14%) and Punjab (9%). While the Judiciary ranks third nationally in perceived corruption (14%). Provincially, in Sindh and Balochistan, public perception of corruption in judiciary is relatively lower at 12% each, whereas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it is (18%) and Punjab (17%),” read the survey press release.
This year’s NCPS shows that a majority of citizens (66%) did not pay a bribe to access public service in the past 12 months.
At the institutional level, NCPS 2025 highlights a notable improvement in public perception of the Police, with a 6% positive shift compared to 2023. This improvement is significant given the larger sample size—4000 respondents in 2025 versus 1,600 in 2023.
At the same time, 77% emphasize low satisfaction with government’s efforts to combat corruption.
Nationally, half of respondents (57%) reported that their purchasing power has decreased over the past 12 months, whereas, (43%) of the respondents feel that their purchasing power has increased, the survey revealed.
“At the national level, wide majority (40%) partially and (18%) fully agree that the government has successfully stabilized the economy through the IMF agreement and exiting the FATF grey list.”
“Nationally, three major causes of corruption in Pakistan as per the citizens are: lack of accountability (15%), lack of transparency and limited access to information (15%), and delays in the disposal of corruption cases (14%).”
At the national level, the TIP reports said majority of respondents (59%) perceive the provincial governments to be more corrupt, compared to 41% who point to local governments. This view is shared in Punjab by (70%), Balochistan (58%), Khyber Pakhunkhwa (55%) and Sindh (54%).
An overwhelming 78% of respondents nationwide believe that there should be accountability of anticorruption bodies such as NAB and FIA, reflecting a strong public desire for greater oversight and integrity within these institutions.
“At provincial level, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (82%), Punjab/Sindh (79%) and Balochistan (73%) citizens support accountability of anti-corruption agencies. Among those advocating accountability, the top reasons cited include lack of transparency in investigations by anticorruption bodies (35%), absence of independent oversight of anti-corruption bodies (33%), and misuse of anti-corruption bodies powers for political victimization (32%).”
The three key measures to curb corruption in Pakistan as per NCPS 2025 are: enhancing accountability (26%), limiting discretionary powers (23%) and strengthening Right to Information laws (20%) in the country.
NCPS 2025 reveals that 33% of respondents consider provincial Anti-Corruption Establishments (ACEs) as “non-effective” in combating corruption at the provincial level, whereas, 34% of respondents view them as less effective, indicating the need for enhancing the role of provincial anti-corruption establishments in the fight against corruption.
It reveals that majority of respondents (77%) are not satisfied with the governments efforts to combat corruption in the country. At provincial levels, Balochistan (80%), Punjab (78%), Khyber Pakhunkhwa (75%) and Sindh (75%) respondents are not satisfied with the government’s efforts to address corruption.
“As per NCPS 2025, majority of respondents nationally (67%) believe that corrupt or unethical practices in the healthcare sector have a very high impact on people’s lives. Provincially, this perception is highest among citizens in Sindh (69%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (68%), Balochistan (67%) and Punjab (63%).”
At the national level, 38% of respondents identify hospitals, 23% identify doctors and 21% identify pharmaceuticals as the main site of corruption in the health sector in Pakistan.
The NCPS 2025 reveals clear preferences regarding the measures respondents believe would be most effective in addressing corruption in the healthcare sector. At the national level, 23% of respondents believe stricter policies against pharmaceutical companies’ commission to doctors will be most effective in addressing corruption in the healthcare sector. Whereas, 20% believe ban on private practice by public doctors to be most effective in addressing corruption in the health sector. While 16% highlight the need for strengthening capacity of health sector regulatory bodies.
NCPS 2025 highlights strong national preference for either banning or regulating the business funding to political parties and politicians to reduce corruption.
NCPS 2025 reveals that majority of respondents nationally (55%) support a complete ban on the use of political parties’ names and leadership pictures in public advertisements.
Nationally, 42% of respondents believe they would feel safe reporting corruption if strong whistleblower protection laws were in place.
Nationally, an overwhelming 70% of respondents are unaware of any official reporting mechanisms to report corruption and corrupt practices.
The NCPS 2025 reveals that (51%) respondents at national level believe that the NGOs, hospitals, trusts, medical testing laboratories, educational institutions and other charitable organizations receiving tax exemptions from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should not charge any fees from the public.
