ISLAMABAD-Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has Wednesday claimed that corruption was decreased during PML(N) government (2013-17), while it had  increased during PTI term in office (2018-22).
The Minister made these remarks during a roundtable on good governance and transparency, organized by the Planning Commission. In order to ensure good governance and transparency in the country, the Ministry for Planning Development & Special Initiatives has decided to establish Governance Innovation Lab (GIL).
The roundtable was attended by the experts from various fields, who have shared their ideas for the implementation of this initiative. “The key objectives of the Governance Innovation Lab will be transparent, inclusive and responsive government,” said Ahsan Iqbal said, while emphasizing on the citizens’ participation in ensuring good governance. “We are facing serious resource crunch therefore; efficiency of investment holds paramount importance and due to the limited resources, we do not have a choice to frame inefficient policies,” he added. Furthermore, the Minister highlighted the gap between the citizens and the government. “We need to ensure innovative solutions for governance and maximize efficiency,” said the Minister, while urging the stakeholders to create a window to report misappropriation related to development projects.
Similarly, the Minister underscored the importance of the political stability in the country to finish the long-term plan of 10 years. “Without political stability, we can’t achieve a desired result therefore, continuity of policies are the key driver,” said the Planning Minister.    
The Minister also said that, Transparency International (TI) reported that corruption has decreased in Pakistan from 2013-17 and according to the global ranking in 2018-22, the level of corruption has increased in Pakistan. The participants also highlighted the importance of e-governance and accessibility of data to fill the gap between the state and the citizens. Similarly, Pakistan Innovation Fund is also being set-up to facilitate start-ups, the minister informed.