The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent research organization that evaluates countries around the world with utmost diligence from the perspective of the rule of law and publishes reports on their internal conditions. William H. Neukom started this project in 2006 under the auspices of the American Bar Association, and it quickly included 21 other significant organizations. The WJP has offices in Washington, Singapore, and Mexico. It is worth reiterating that the project comprises some of the most distinguished individuals globally, with a survey conducted by 3,500 experts.
To clarify, the project includes former U.S. presidents, renowned legal experts, and respected professionals from various fields whose opinions are highly regarded. The 2024 report, published a few weeks ago, assesses Pakistan and 142 other countries worldwide. Before delving into the details, I must say that the report on our country reads like an elegy. The supposedly commendable performance of our prime ministers and chief ministers, often glorified by Pakistani media, has been laid bare by this institution. Any serious reader would feel deeply troubled after reading this report, yet our leaders have chosen not to acknowledge it.
Pakistan is not only economically bankrupt but has also plunged to depths from which recovery seems impossible when it comes to social justice, the common man’s life, employment, human security, and other crucial aspects.
The report evaluates Pakistan on eight critical elements, ranking it against other countries. The first element is the constraint on government power, which examines the constitutional and institutional controls over state authorities to ensure they operate within the bounds of the law. Over the past year, the unchecked exercise of state power has led Pakistan to rank 103rd out of 142 countries, an eight-position drop from the previous year. The second element focuses on corruption.
Corruption is broken down into three aspects: financial bribery, the unlawful behavior of public and private officials, and embezzlement of government funds, involving the administration, judiciary, police, and political figures. Pakistan ranks 120th out of 142 in this regard. Government transparency, referred to as “Open Government,” assesses how effectively the government presents its actions to the public and the truthfulness of the information it provides.
On this third element, Pakistan ranks 106th, showing further decline from last year, indicating that our government and state institutions lack the will to communicate their performance to the public. This pervasive darkness has shrouded the entire nation, with only a few pockets of light remaining—fortresses known to all.
The fourth element assesses fundamental human rights, a core part of the rule of law. Pakistan stands at 125th out of 142 countries, signaling a continuous downward spiral. One must ask if human rights genuinely exist in Pakistan today. Perhaps they are mentioned in the pages of law books, but for the 250 million citizens, basic rights are a myth. How much more disgraceful can it be for a nation when an international organization with credibility reveals its failures? Discussing the next element, personal security, is even more painful. Only two countries rank below Pakistan in this critical aspect.
Pakistan is positioned at 140th, highlighting a distressing lack of safety. What will the leaders say in response to this? The fact remains that no one feels secure in Pakistan. The blemish on our national character is visible to the world, but only our leaders seem blind to it. The sixth element measures the enforcement of laws and administrative decisions by both governmental and non-governmental organizations. One might wonder where we stand on this scale.
Pakistan is 127th out of 142, revealing that the government lacks the capacity to enforce laws impartially. In reality, laws in our region are imposed on the weak, while powerful individuals remain untouchable. At every level, there are influential groups and people above the law. Every citizen knows that the reins of authority are held by those driven by personal and financial interests—a legacy that has persisted for seventy years. The next element evaluates the civil justice system, including its impartiality and freedom from corruption.
Pakistan ranks 128th in this domain, indicating that our civil judicial system is largely inactive and ineffective in addressing people’s issues. The final element concerns criminal justice, focusing on crime response and punishment, police, courts, lawyers, prison officials, and prosecutors.
Pakistan stands at 98th in this aspect. The report concludes with an overview of Pakistan’s overall performance across these eight elements. Out of 142 countries, Pakistan ranks 129th, only ahead of 13 countries. This shows systemic mismanagement, poor performance, insecurity, corruption, human rights violations, the absence of justice, and a lack of transparency. Despite the claims and announcements by the government, we are passengers on a sinking ship, struggling to stay afloat while government institutions hammer the final nails into the coffin.
The WJP has no bias against Pakistan. The world considers this report credible and uses it to assess relations with countries. This document serves as a certificate of impartial evaluation. Anyone who reads it will likely form a negative perception of our system and government—it is not hard to imagine the implications.
The countries ranking below Pakistan include Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Cambodia, where the rule of law is practically non-existent. It’s also important to note that Denmark has been recognized as the best country in every aspect, a virtual paradise on earth. Reading this report has caused me hours of deep mental anguish, but I do not wish to hide the truth. I urge everyone to read it, as it stands as a charge sheet against our government system.