Unchecked power and corruption

Power, when left unchecked, slowly corrupts a nation's soul. It corrupts values, weakens institutions and undermines justice. In Pakistan, those in power have too often used their authority for personal gain rather than public service. This misuse has cost the country socially, politically and economically, leaving it lagging on global development indices.

Transparency International ranks Pakistan 135th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index for last year. The 2024 World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index places it 129th out of 142, while the World Bank's Governance Indicators show the country trailing much of the world in rule of law, accountability and control of corruption. Taken together, these numbers lay bare Pakistan's fragile position on the global stage.

Pakistan's ruling elite has long been accused of treating the state as their inheritance rather than a trust. Their decisions are guided less by national interest and more by political survival and personal benefit. They remain untouched by the poverty and hardship faced by the common people. When the powerful live in comfort and the powerless struggle to survive, the moral structure of a nation begins to fall apart.

The country's public institutions — including those related to health, education, police, media as well as local administrative such as the revenue department, treasury office, mukhtiarkar office, and even the justice system — are crippled by corruption and inefficiency. Officials seldom perform their duties without monetary inducements or political backing from influential figures whose power rests on wealth or force. This has become an open secret across society, where the system bends for the powerful and collapses for the poor. Those without connections or resources to pay bribes remain neglected and exploited. Over time, this culture of malpractice has pushed Pakistan into a state of moral and institutional paralysis, where each passing day further suffocates the underprivileged.

Power in Pakistan has rarely been accompanied by responsibility. From political corridors to bureaucratic offices, corruption has become unchecked practice. It seems driven by bribery, nepotism, misuse of public funds, and manipulation of justice. The tragedy is that this culture of impunity has made corruption seem normal. It is seen not as a crime, but as a tool to climb the ladder of power

This unchecked misuse of power has drained public trust. Citizens no longer believe promises of reform because they have seen too many broken ones. Institutions that were meant to protect the people — the police, courts, and bureaucracy — are often influenced by the very forces they are supposed to hold accountable. In such an environment, merit suffers, talent goes unrecognised, and hope begins to fade.

A soft approach towards elite corruption and its hard stance on political dissent further exposes this imbalance. Those who question the system are silenced, while those who exploit it walk free. This double standard weakens democracy and fuels public frustration. A state that fails to protect fairness eventually loses the moral authority to govern.

But corruption is not an unchangeable fate. Countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland and Georgia have set the model for curbing corruption through transparency, institutional reform and strong political will. Pakistan, too, can recover if power is treated as a public responsibility rather than a personal privilege. Transparency, strong institutions and an independent judiciary could rebuild public trust. Real change, however, must begin at the top, with leaders who lead by example.

Leadership is not about ruling; it is about serving. Pakistan needs leaders who understand that power is a test of character. It should be used to build, not to exploit. As long as power remains unchecked, corruption will continue to suffocate progress and keep the nation suffering in poverty and mis-governance.

Unchecked power has already cost Pakistan dearly in credibility, development and dignity. It is time for those in authority to realise that a nation's strength lies not in the power of its rulers, but in the service of its people.