Figure 2: No Copyright Infringement Intended

Context:

• Pakistan ranks lowly 130 out of 139 countries in Rule of Law Index 2021.
• India has scored 71 rank.

About Rule of Law index:

• Released by the World Justice Project- an independent organisation.
• It is a quantitative assessment tool designed to offer a detailed and comprehensive picture of the extent to which countries adhere to the rule of law in practice.
• The index covers 139 countries.

Framework for the Rule of Law:

The World Justice Project defines the ‘rule of law’ system as one in which the following four universal principles are upheld:

• The government and its officials and agents are accountable under the law
• The laws are clear, publicized, stable and fair, and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property
• The process by which the laws are enacted, administered, and enforced is accessible, efficient, and fair.
• Justice is delivered by competent, ethical, and independent representatives and neutrals who are of sufficient number, have adequate resources and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.

Measurement of Rule of Law:

It measures countries’ rule of law performance across eight factors:

• (1) Constraints on Government Powers, (2) Absence of Corruption, (3) Open Government, (4) Fundamental Rights, (5) Order and Security, (6) Regulatory Enforcement, (7) Civil Justice, and (8) Criminal Justice

Finding of the Index:

• For the fourth year in a row, the rule of law in a majority of countries declined.
• This pre-pandemic negative trend seriously expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching a new high of 74% of all countries surveyed.