Pakistan Now More Honest About Its Budget Than India and China

Pakistan's budget transparency has seen a significant improvement, increasing by 50 percent in just two years. In 2023, Pakistan scored 30 out of 100 on the International Budget Partnership's assessment, but this improved to 45 in 2025, according to an official statement. This progress was validated by an independent Open Budget Survey, which highlighted advancements in fiscal openness, public access to budget information, and accountability.

The improvement brought Pakistan's score to match the global average, placing the country ahead of other regional economies. India scored 44, Sri Lanka 43, and Bangladesh 37 in the same assessment. Notably, Nigeria scored 24, while China lagged behind with a score of 19.

The most substantial gains were in areas that were previously identified for improvement. Pakistan's Executive Budget Proposal score rose from 43 to 57, and the Enacted Budget score improved from 33 to 50. Additionally, the Year-End Report, which was previously published late, showed a major improvement, reaching a score of 52.

Public participation in the budget process also increased, from a score of 15 to 22. This improvement is above the global average of 17 and the Asia-Pacific average of 18. The adviser to the Finance Minister attributed these improvements to more timely and accessible fiscal information, expanded stakeholder consultations, and stronger public and parliamentary participation in the budget process.

The improvement is further supported by a recent US State Department fiscal transparency assessment, which recognized Pakistan's widely accessible Enacted Budget and Year-End Report. The assessment also praised Pakistan's substantial disclosure of planned revenues and expenditures, generally reliable budget information, independent audit oversight, transparent frameworks for natural-resource awards and public procurement, and the legal framework governing the sovereign wealth fund.