The World Justice Project’s (WJP) Rule of Law Index for 2024 has reported a slight improvement for Pakistan, yet the country remains critically low in areas like civil and criminal justice, fundamental rights, government transparency, anti-corruption measures, regulatory enforcement, and public security.
Pakistan’s Ranking: Small Progress, Major Setbacks
Pakistan ranks 129th out of 142 countries in the 2024 Rule of Law Index, improving by just one position from 130th in 2023. Regionally, however, it is 5th out of six countries assessed, indicating ongoing challenges. Although Pakistan showed positive growth from 2015 to 2018, there was a marked decline from 2019 to 2023, with 2024 marking the first year of improvement after five consecutive years of negative performance.
Key Indicators: Justice, Governance, and Rights in Focus
The WJP index considers factors such as constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, government transparency, fundamental rights, security, regulatory enforcement, and justice systems to assess a country’s rule of law.
- Criminal Justice: Pakistan ranks 98th globally and 4th in the region. This highlights ongoing issues within the criminal justice system.
- Civil Justice: Globally, Pakistan is positioned at 128th, while it ranks 4th among regional countries, reflecting a need for improvement in civil case resolutions.
- Regulatory Enforcement: With a global rank of 127 and regional rank of 5th, Pakistan faces significant challenges in implementing regulatory measures.
- Order and Security: Pakistan is among the worst globally, ranking 140th out of 142. It is the lowest-ranked country in the region, with urgent issues in public safety and order.
- Fundamental Rights: Pakistan stands at 125th globally and 4th regionally, highlighting limitations in protecting individual rights.
- Open Government: The country ranks 106th globally and 4th regionally, underscoring the need for more transparent governance.
- Corruption: Pakistan ranks 124th globally and 5th regionally in the absence of corruption, pointing to ongoing governance issues.
- Government Power Constraints: The index places Pakistan 103rd globally and 4th regionally in terms of limiting government powers, indicating a need for stronger checks and balances.
Conclusion: A Serious Call for Justice and Governance Reforms
Despite a minor improvement, Pakistan’s overall standing in the WJP Rule of Law Index is a stark indicator of the need for judicial and governance reforms. While there is slight progress, the current ranking underscores significant gaps in security, transparency, and justice that continue to impact the nation’s global and regional standing.
