For many Pakistanis, the word "corruption" evokes frustration, long queues and a quiet sense that there is little they can do to navigate a system stacked against them. Yet the latest National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) 2025, conducted by Transparency International Pakistan, tells a story that is slightly different — not revolutionary, but quietly hopeful. It suggests that day-to-day encounters with public institutions are slowly changing, and that ordinary citizens are more aware than ever of what good governance should look like.

NCPS is about perception, not prosecution. It measures how people experience daily interactions — whether at a hospital, a municipal office or a school — rather than tallying proven cases of corruption. Think of it as a giant mood ring across the country. While the survey doesn't influence Pakistan's ranking in the global Corruption Perceptions Index, it reveals how trust and scepticism are distributed among citizens. And in governance, perception matters. People who believe institutions are fair are more likely to comply with rules, pay taxes and even report wrongdoing. Those who distrust the system withdraw, disengage or find ways to bypass it.

One of the most encouraging findings of NCPS 2025 is that roughly two-thirds of respondents reported that they had not faced a situation in the past year where they felt compelled to pay a........

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