Pakistan has been ranked as the third-worst country for law and order among 142 nations in the latest World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, with only Mali and Nigeria placing lower. This ranking highlights Pakistan’s severe challenges in maintaining security and enforcing the rule of law across the country.
Key Findings and Overall Ranking
The WJP Rule of Law Index is an annual report evaluating global adherence to the rule of law across eight key indicators: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. For 2024, Pakistan placed 129th overall, and within South Asia, only Afghanistan ranked lower. However, Pakistan’s most troubling placement was in the category of “Order and Security,” where it ranked 140th, just above Mali and Nigeria. This category assessed Pakistan’s ability to control crime, protect citizens from armed conflict, and mitigate the use of violence in civil disputes.
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Rankings in Governance, Corruption, and Justice
Pakistan’s performance was dismal across most indicators. It ranked 103rd in constraints on government powers, 120th in absence of corruption, 106th for open government, and 125th for fundamental rights. Regulatory enforcement also posed a significant challenge, with Pakistan positioned at 127th. In civil justice, Pakistan ranked 128th, indicating severe issues in providing impartial, timely, and effective civil justice. Even criminal justice, the area where Pakistan performed best, placed the country at 98th—highlighting the need for comprehensive reforms across governance and justice.
Global Trends
Pakistan’s regional ranking among six South Asian countries also highlights significant challenges. It ranked fifth in the region for criminal justice, regulatory enforcement, absence of corruption, and constraints on government powers. Within South Asia, only Afghanistan performed worse overall, suggesting that Pakistan has substantial ground to cover in the regional rule of law landscape.
This year’s report marks the seventh consecutive year of global decline in rule of law, with more than half of the countries in the index showing deteriorations in governance, human rights, and justice. While 57 percent of nations reported further weakening in the rule of law, there are signs that the rate of decline is slowing, with improvements in anti-corruption efforts and criminal justice systems in several countries.
Rule of Law on a Global Scale
High-income countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany topped the 2024 index, indicating strong governance, effective rule of law, and minimal corruption. These nations exemplify the standards WJP sets, with robust protections for human rights and transparent judicial systems.
Positive Signs
The WJP report did note a few positive trends. For the first time in five years, a majority of countries—59 percent—improved in the absence of corruption. Additionally, more countries reported progress in criminal justice, suggesting that these gains could potentially offset broader declines. However, the decline in civil justice remains concerning as issues with timely and independent adjudication continue to spread globally.
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According to WJP co-founder William H. Neukom, focusing on improvements in areas like anti-corruption and judicial reforms offers hope for reversing the negative trajectory. “The global community must redouble efforts to expand these rule of law gains in all areas,” Neukom stated, emphasizing the need for a sustained commitment to upholding justice and governance standards worldwide.