Corruption is unfortunately a resident phenomenon in Pakistan. Thus, it hardly raises any eyebrows if international watchdogs opt for finger-pointing at wrongdoings in our public sector or the wayward measures of conducting businesses. They do so after scrutinising the country’s social sector indices, and still we are hardly bothered. The results of National Corruption Perception Survey 2022, under Transparency International, has once again stated the obvious as it listed out police, judiciary, tendering and contracting, as well as education, as the most corrupt departments in the country. None of the four provinces are immune from it, and it sharply makes a point that good governance is a mirage as easy money and nepotism rules the roost.
The study released to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day says that police is the most corrupt, to be followed by business contracting through bribes and favours, and judiciary which apparently looks the other way for reasons of exigency. Education, likewise, is in tatters and Sindh tops the blame for having one of the worst academic outputs. These indicators are an issue of national concern and should go on to serve as an eye-opener for the government, as well as policymakers. But the fact of the matter is that such reports are taken merely for academic consumption, and no efforts are undertaken to stem the rot.
Reforms are indispensable if Pakistan has to go ahead as a viable nation-state. It is also important to win over the confidence of the world community, as investment, tourism and state-centrism depend on the transparent functioning of a nation’s institutions. This is where we must go on to reform the judiciary, police and bureaucracy, and ensure stringent accountability. The survey also states that more than 50% of Pakistanis have no faith in anti-graft institutions, and 77% find obstacles in securing proper information from governmental bodies. Last but not least, Pakistan lingering at the bottom rating in the human development index is horrendous. This needs to be fixed for the sake of our survival as a national entity.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2022.
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