# Rule of Law Index rankings in Afghanistan and Pakistan > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/rule-of-law-index-rankings-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan > Updated: 2026-11-02T21:15:49.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index reports for 2025 and 2026 highlight significant legal challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghanistan ranked 142nd out of 143 countries, making it the second-lowest performing nation globally. The index noted poor performance in criminal justice, fundamental rights, order and security, and constraints on government powers. Reports indicate the Taliban has increasingly restricted journalists and independent media through national directives and provincial decrees. Legal experts have also raised concerns regarding the absence of a constitutional framework and the lack of checks on authority since the Taliban took power in 2021. Pakistan ranked 130th out of 143 countries, placing 101st in categories such as corruption, fundamental rights, and criminal justice. The report follows the sentencing of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha to 10 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad, a verdict condemned by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee as an attempt to silence human rights defenders. ## Timeline ### 2026-11-02: Rule of Law Index reveals low rankings for Pakistan and Afghanistan The World Justice Project reports low rule of law rankings for Pakistan (130th) and Afghanistan (142nd), citing judicial challenges and lack of constitutional frameworks. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/rule-of-law-index-reveals-low-rankings-for-pakistan-and-afghanistan ### 2026-10-28: Afghanistan ranks second-worst globally in Rule of Law Index Afghanistan ranked 142nd out of 143 jurisdictions in the 2026 Rule of Law Index, placing it second-worst globally behind only Venezuela. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/afghanistan-ranks-second-worst-globally-in-rule-of-law-index --- Cite as: Rule of Law Index rankings in Afghanistan and Pakistan. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/rule-of-law-index-rankings-in-afghanistan-and-pakistan