ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s budget transparency has improved by 50% in just two years, with the country’s score rising from 30 out of 100 in 2023 to 45 in 2025, Advisor to Finance Minister, Khurram Schehzad said while quoting the latest Open Budget Survey (OBS) by the International Budget Partnership (IBP).
According to OBS, the improvement brings Pakistan’s score in line with the global average of 45 and places it ahead of several regional and international peers, including India at 44, Sri Lanka at 43, Bangladesh at 37, Nigeria at 24 and China at 19.
The Open Budget Survey is an independent global assessment of budget transparency, public participation and oversight of public finances. The latest results show that Pakistan made progress in several areas that had been identified as weaknesses in the 2023 assessment.
The Executive’s Budget Proposal score increased from 43 to 57, while the Enacted Budget score rose from 33 to 50. Pakistan also recorded a major improvement in its Year-End Report, which was previously published late, while its public participation score increased from 15 to 22.
The increase in public participation is particularly significant, putting Pakistan above the global average of 17 and the Asia-Pacific average of 18. The improvement reflects efforts to expand stakeholder consultations, strengthen pre- and post-budget engagement and increase parliamentary input into the budget process.
The IBP has also recognized improvements in the timely online publication of the Year-End Report and the availability of more comprehensive information in the Executive’s Budget Proposal.
The latest findings come alongside the U.S. State Department’s fiscal transparency assessment, which also identified a number of strengths in Pakistan’s fiscal framework. The assessment noted that Pakistan’s enacted budget and year-end report were widely accessible, while planned revenues and expenditures were substantially disclosed.
It also recognized generally reliable budget information, independent audit oversight and transparent frameworks for natural-resource awards and public procurement.
The U.S. assessment, however, also highlighted areas where further improvements are needed, including the timely publication of budget documents and fuller disclosure of certain public-sector financial information.
