ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been ranked the third-worst among 142 countries in terms of law and order, according to a new report.

The World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index is an annual survey which ranks nations on eight factors: Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice.

In the 2024 edition of the report, Pakistan was ranked 140th for Order and Security, which measured three factors: crime control, protection from armed conflicts and the use of violence to resolve civil disputes.

Only Mali and Nigeria were below Pakistan in terms of law and order and security.

Gets overall ranking of 129 out of 142 nations on Rule of Law Index

Pakistan ranked 103rd for constraints on government powers, 120th for corruption, 106 for open government, 125th for fundamental rights, 127th for regulatory enforcement, 128th for civil justice and 98th for criminal justice. Among the six South Asian states, Pakistan and Afghanistan are at the bottom of the index.

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Overall, the rule of law has declined globally for the seventh year in a row.

The report revealed that a majority of countries witnessed a dip in their overall rankings, marked by executive overreach, deteriorating human rights, and justice systems that are failing to meet people’s needs.

Among the high-income group, Denmark topped the ranking, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Germany.

‘Eroding’ rule of law

This year, the rule of law weakened in 57 per cent of the countries surveyed.

However, the report also suggests that the decline is “slowing” and that “progress is possible” as the proportion of countries where the rule of law is eroding shrank for the third year in a row.

For the first time in five years, more countries — 59pc — improved than declined on the Absence of Corruption factor.

A majority of countries have also improved their criminal justice system, the report stated.

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The decline in civil justice has also slowed since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, it said, while acknowledging that problems delivering timely and independent civil justice continued to spread.

Between 2016 and 2024, people in 81pc of countries have lost protections for their fundamental rights. Additionally, 77pc have registered a dip in governmental checks and balances, including oversight by legislatures, courts, civil society, and the media.

“After seven consecutive years of rule of law declines, it can be easy to focus on the negative. But to do so would ignore accomplishments in anti-corruption and the hard work occurring to improve justice systems globally,” WJP co-founder and president William H. Neukom said.

“The global community must redouble efforts to expand these rule of law gains in all areas.”

Electoral transparency

In the elections held in 2024 so far, the ruling party has maintained power in 13 out of 15 countries, the report stated.

Meanwhile, some of the most improved countries in the 2024 Index saw new, democratically elected governments take office last year, it said.

Voters in Brazil and Poland opted for a change in each country’s most recent national elections. Both countries had experienced some of the largest rule of law declines since 2016 “before changing course in the past year”.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2024