Political will must to wipe out corruption: NAB chief

Says a corruption free Pakistan will remain a dream unless people refuse to accept corruption as a fact of life

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said on Thursday that a corruption-free Pakistan would remain a dream unless people refuse to accept corruption as a fact of life.

“It (corruption free Pakistan) will remain an elusive ideal unless we generate a strong political will to wipe out corruption and raise honest public representatives who can carry out this gigantic task without any fear of high and mighty and without any favour to the moneyed and well connected,” he said.

The NAB chairman was addressing a seminar on “Transparency in National Projects” organised by NAB in collaboration with National Highway Authority (NHA).

The head of country’s premier anti-graft body called upon every single member of society to make an effort by setting personal, professional and official conduct above any type of influence and prejudice.

He urged intelligentsia, academia and media to sensitise people about ill-effects of corruption in society. “Let us demonstrate zero tolerance towards corruption. Let us say a firm, rather a thumping `Say No’ to Corruption,” he added.

“I believe that the most harmful consequences of endemic corruption in a society are culture of acceptance, the culture of resignation and culture of apathy,” Qamar Zaman said. Any serious effort to combat corruption must start with this realisation that it is the collective social responsibility, that it would result in common good and “that we all are together in this war and we will rise and fall together,” he added.

He said NAB was determined and committed to performing its national duty with absolute objectivity, thorough professionalism, unimpeachable integrity, and without any leanings for a corruption-free Pakistan.

The NAB chief said that corruption was endemic to mankind since the beginning of times. Greed was also a phenomenon prevalent in the society. If punitive action is not initiated at the outset, he added, greed obviously flows towards an increase in corruption. He said lack of equity and accountability has resulted in corruption becoming a way of life over the years, unchecked corruption at various levels and tiers of the society has resulted in corrupt flaunting their ill-gotten wealth with impunity and also trying, somewhat successfully, to silence those who undertake to enforce the rule of law. Qamar Zaman said in corrupt societies, everyone “condemns” bribery, but everyone gives and takes bribes, because not only nothing is getting done without, but nothing is being done about it too.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2016.