Survey of 4,000 citizens highlights public trust, institutional reforms and demands accountability in key sectors
Corruption remains one of the top concerns of citizens of Pakistan, shaping trust in public institutions and influencing perceptions of governance, according to the National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) 2025.
The NCPS 2025, conducted by Transparency International (TI) Pakistan and its partner organizations, provides a detailed overview of how citizens perceive integrity, accountability and service delivery in daily life.
The survey, conducted from September 22 to 29, 2025, covered 20 districts of the four provinces, with the participation of 4,000 people. This represents a significant expansion from the 2023 NCPS, which surveyed 1,600 respondents in 16 districts.
“The survey explores a wide range of themes, including sectors perceived to be more corrupt, factors contributing to corruption and public views on the accountability of anti-corruption institutions,” TI Pakistan president Justice (retd) Zia Perwez writes in the report.
“Issues related to political financing, whistleblower protections and transparency of tax-exempt charities reflect citizens’ growing concern for integrity and openness across all sectors,” he added.
The report highlights that the NCPS 2025 does not measure corruption itself but rather captures the experiences and perceptions of citizens in their interactions with public institutions and services. These perceptions are key indicators of public trust and signal areas where reform is most urgent.
The survey, described as a more robust and representative exercise, ensured deliberate inclusion across urban-rural, gender and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) divides, thereby providing institutions with a more robust indicator of public perception nationally.
Key Points
A notable finding is that 66% of respondents said they had not faced a situation in the past year where they felt obligated to pay a bribe for public services. This suggests that the pressure of everyday corruption is not a universal experience for citizens.
The survey also highlights public recognition of recent government efforts. About six in ten respondents fully or partially agree that the government has helped stabilize the economy through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and the country’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list, indicating public recognition of difficult macroeconomic decisions.
An institutional analysis in the report notes a 6% improvement in public perception of the police, attributed to positive changes in behavior and service delivery as a result of the reforms. Other institutions showing better public perception include education, land and property, local government and taxation.
Critically, the SNPC presents a clear public agenda for institutional reform. Citizens expressed a strong desire for better accountability, limited discretionary powers for civil servants and stricter right to information laws, providing a clear roadmap for policymakers to implement reforms.
There is also strong public demand for reform of the supervisory bodies themselves. A striking 78% of citizens want anti-corruption institutions like the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to be more accountable and transparent, supporting the need for their internal reform rather than their delegitimization.
The survey proposes a specific model for the health sector, with citizens calling for tighter controls on pharmaceutical boards, clearer rules for private medical practices and stronger regulators supported by effective complaints mechanisms.
Regarding politics and public spending, more than 80% of respondents want corporate financing of political parties to be banned or strictly regulated. Additionally, 55% of respondents advocated removing political names and images from government advertising.
Finally, the report highlights the public’s willingness to engage in anti-corruption efforts under the right conditions. Forty-two percent said they would feel safe reporting corruption if there were strong protections for whistleblowers, with citizens clearly valuing anonymity and reward mechanisms in reporting systems.
TI Pakistan is the national chapter of Transparency International, Germany, while the NCPS is a national exercise. The report notes that its findings do not feed into or change Pakistan’s position in the Global Corruption Perception Index.
The NCPS 2025 therefore serves not only as a barometer of public opinion, but also as a comprehensive guide to citizens’ expectations regarding governance and institutional integrity.
