PM attributes financial woes to moral decline, corruption

Says countries plagued by corruption and NROs lag behind

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday stressed that the success and failure of nations hinged on their moral values, urging civil servants to exhibit high moral standards in the line of duty for their as well as the country’s betterment.

The prime minister expressed these views while addressing the passing-out ceremony of the 44th special training program of the Pakistan Administrative Service.

“With a very good civil service, this country was moving on the path of becoming a great nation till the 1960s.

But then gradually, we moved towards other ways. When decline comes in morality, it also brings in economic decline,” he remarked.

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He identified justice as the main distinctive feature between countries that prospered and countries which lagged behind. “Contrary to countries plagued by corruption, where NROs are handed out to thieves, rich countries fulfil the requirements of justice through moral authority and power.”

In a reference to the sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the PM said the nations that failed to dispense justice were fated to be destroyed. Similarly, he quoted a saying of Hazrat Ali (RA), the fourth caliph of Islam, that a “society can survive with kufr (infidelity), but not injustice”.

The PM noted it was due to corruption and embezzlement [of public money] that countries such as Bangladesh were ahead of Pakistan. “You being the elite of bureaucracy have to perform your duties with dedication,” he stressed.

He pointed out that corruption in society begins from the premier and ministers and trickles down to the rest of the society.

Also read: PM stresses need for improving moral standards

World’s obligation

The prime minister later took to Twitter and urged the international community to help avert the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. He referred to the World Food Program (WFP) alert regarding the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and urged the international community to help avert the crisis.

“Pakistan will continue to provide all possible relief but the international community must act now,” he wrote on Twitter.

The international community has a moral obligation to avert this humanitarian disaster confronting the Afghan people, he added.

“I have been warning of this humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Now WFP chief issues alert,” Imran Khan remarked.

The PM also attached the link to a BBC News report. According to the report, the WFP was faced with having to raise its supplies to Afghanistan to help more than 22 million people.

“If the weather is as bad as experts are predicting this winter, the expectation is that large numbers will be threatened with acute hunger and widespread famine,” it added.

The weather is turning from early autumn warmth to a sharp chill. Several areas are reporting drought, which adds to the sense of growing catastrophe.

At Maidan Wardak, 50 miles west of Kabul, a crowd of several hundred men had gathered in the hope of getting flour from an official distribution point. The flour was provided by the World Food Programme, the report mentioned.

“The winter is nearly here. I don’t know how I’ll get through it if I can’t make bread,” the report quoted an old man as saying.

The BBC report also quoted the executive director of the WFP, David Beasley, as saying about the situation, “It is as bad as you possibly can imagine,” “In fact, we’re now looking at the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth".

“Ninety-five per cent of the people don’t have enough food, and now we’re looking at 23 million people marching towards starvation,” he added. “The next six months are going to be catastrophic. It is going to be hell on Earth.”